Disappear
by Elizabeth Springfield
Summary: Ayumu Koemi has known Naru for two years. She disappeared in an exorcism, and didn't reappear until a year later. How does her sudden presence affect the SPR. How does Naru handle it? Naru/OC - Shibuya/OC - Kazuya/OC.
1. Doll House Case I EDIT

**For god's sake. i came back and shuddered at the horror that is my story. **

**So i'm slowly, slowly fixing it. This took me about a month to finish the last sentence. I've got serious issues with finishing stuff, i swear. So, here is the edited chapter, which i highly recommend reading because it's REALLY REALLY DIFFERENT.**

* * *

><p>"<em>Neh," Koemi walked beside the brothers. "If I'm ever accidentally earthbound, I'm going to mess with the temperatures all the time. Like, always. It sounds like so much fun."<em>

_ "You're so weird." Eugene chuckled._

_ "That way, you'll know that I haven't moved on yet and I need help!" She fisted her hand and punched the air. "And you guys can investigate and help! Just look for…the number 19."_

_ "What makes you think we'd want to help you?" Naru challenged._

_ "Because I will haunt you. You will be obligated if you ever want a night of sleep again." She replied firmly. "And because you are my only friends that are also investigators. It'll work." _

_ "Mhm." Eugene hummed. "I'll save you, even if my stupid brother doesn't."_

_ Koemi stuck her tongue out at Naru triumphantly._

* * *

><p>Naru woke with a start, his blue eyes snapping open. The familiar face of Koemi Walker stuck forcefully to his mind. When he closed his eyes, he could still see her. He began to pull out a small booklet from his pocket, an album that no one but him knew of.<p>

Lin knocked gently on his door before entering. "Naru—." He stopped when he saw the boy's hectic hair, and sleepy eyes. "You should try to get more sleep."

Naru didn't respond, hiding the book and standing. "We should get going. Mai will…" He stopped to look at his watch. "She's late."

Lin grunted with disapproval and disappeared to double check the equipment he had loaded into his van. Ever since last year, his worry for the boy's health had grown. It could be debated that finding someone you love is like filling your other half. It was also said that a twin was another half. When Naru lost them both... it was doubtlessly painful. Was it a half of himself he lost...or was he completely gone? Resigned, away from his mischievous and heated past. Nothing but a small shell, feeling lost and feigning found. Koemi had disappeared during an exorcism. One moment she was chanting, but with a bright white light, there was nothing left but her small metal locket.

Mai burst into the office. "I'm sorry I'm late!"

"We have a case today." Naru didn't acknowledge her apology as he padded out the door. "Let's go."

The car drive was relatively quiet, apart from Mai's senseless babble and questions. Naru tuned her out and stared out the window. The trees flitted past as they pulled up to a large house not far from the Shibuya District of Tokyo.

"Wow. What a cool house." Mai stared up at the mansion. They were here on account of Morishita Noriko, the sister of the house's owner. According to what she had said, her brother was overseas on a business trip. According to Noriko, there was knocking on the walls, and doors would slam.

"This is my sister-in-law Kana," the brunette introduced a redder-haired woman. Noriko looked tired, and sad. "And my niece, Ayami. My brother is currently overseas on business, and we feel nervous about being the only ones in this house right now."

"I'd like to have a word with your boss." Kana stepped forward.

"I am Shibuya Kazuya and I own the company." The teen replied monotonously.

"Oh…I had…" She trailed off, scrutinizing him. "So anyway, what are we looking at? Do you really believe it's a ghost?"

"We will explore all aspects of the situation." Naru replied smoothly. "We'll need a room for our equipment."

"Ah. I see." Noriko bobbed her head and lead the two to a small room. "Will this be okay?"

Naru nodded. In a short time, Mai and Lin had unloaded the shelves and equipment.

"How is the equipment in each room?" Naru posed naturally.

"The monitors are functioning normally. In all the rooms, everything is normal." Lin replied, half of his face hidden behind a sheet of his black hair.

"Isn't this the work of a poltergeist?" Mai inquired.

Lin turned his cool gaze to her.

"Based on what Noriko-san said…" Mai stared at the monitors.

"Wow!" Takigawa Houshou pushed through the door, brown eyes amused. He was a former Buddhist monk at Mt. Kouya. "The part-time girl is talking like a full-fledged pro."

"Bou-san!" Mai peered at him.

He gave a lazy but sharp salute. "Yo."

"This pile of equipment is overkill, as usual." Matsuzaki Ayako, the 'self-styled' Shinto priestess sneered at the room, leaning her head against the doorframe. She spurted forward to stare into the monitor. "It sounds like it's caused by earth-bound spirits." She closed her eyes resolutely and straightened again.

"I think it's being caused by humans." Mai opposed, mimicking the smug expression with crossed arms.

"Look who's talking." Ayako glanced over her shoulder.

"Well, well. Look." Mai shook her finger, smirking. "Half the cases involving poltergeists are caused by humans. Many of them involve women under stress. This might be a case of the woman of the house not getting on well with her sister-in-law."

"You mean Noriko-san?" Bou asked, tilting his head.

"Of course." Ayako hit her hand to her palm. "Kana-san is not an easy woman to deal with, is she?"

Mai giggled, still smirking. "I'm such a great detective."

"Most poltergeist cases with human culprits involve young teens and children around puberty." Naru continued to stare at the monitors. "Noriko-san is twenty years old. She has long since passed puberty."

"But—." Mai snapped, fiercely trying to protect her observations.

"Indeed, there are cases involving women with strong psychic abilities." He continued. "So we will conduct some tests tonight along those lines."

Mai glared at him, her eyebrows twitching hatefully. She trudged out of the room and forlornly traveled the hallways. "Really…" She stared at the ground. "Why did I have to fall for a guy like him?" From the short time she had worked with him, she had fallen for his smile. No, he didn't smile. Only in her dreams did she ever see it... But it wasn't like she dreamed about him or anything. How creepy would that be! She sighed, shaking the thoughts from her head.

"Mai-san," the gentle-eyed Noriko stopped and blinked at the girl. "It's Ayami's snack time. Would you like to come along?"

"Of course!" Mai brightened. "She's so cute! Which side of the family does she take after? Her father's?" They journeyed up the staircase.

"No, her mother's." Noriko decided.

"But she doesn't look at all like Kana-san." Mai murmured, her brown eyes wide.

Noriko laughed quietly. "She is my brother's second wife." With her gentle brown eye and soft brown hair, Mai thought Noriko was quiet pretty. "Ayami is his daughter from the previous marriage."

"I'm sorry." Mai said, unsure of how else to respond.

"Don't worry." Noriko smiled, knocking on the door to Ayami's room before opening it. "Ayami, it's snack time." She smiled. "Mai-chan is here too."

Mai peeked around her shoulder and grinned. "Hi! Can I come in?"

The pigtailed girl looked up from her book, owlishly staring at them. She stood and extended her blond doll's hand. "Hi."

"Hello," Mai took it with a smile. "What's your name?"

"Minnie." Ayami chirped.

Noriko looked around the room and saw the book Ayami was previously engaged with. "Ayami, have you been reading that book?" She asked cheerfully, for the sake of conversation.

Ayami's face suddenly shifted to one of terror. She backed up.

"What's wrong?" Noriko knelt down.

"Shall we have a snack?" Mai tried to help.

The girl turned away and quietly replied. "Ayami… doesn't want it."

Worry was apparent on both of the older females' faces.

* * *

><p>That night, Naru gathered the three in the living area. This tactic, using a red lamp, would confirm whether or not they caused the haunting. The room was dark, apart from the slowly fading and reappearing red ball of light.<p>

"Please concentrate on the light." He stared down at them with detached eyes. There was a slight whir from the mechanics in the lamp. "Please synchronize your breathing to the light. Slowly."

When humans cause a poltergeist, it's thought they unconsciously use their psychic abilities. By implanting a suggestion into the subconscious, the person will follow the instructions and prove the cause of the haunting.

"Tonight a vase will move. A small glass vase. It will be placed on the table in this room tonight."

Mai flicked the natural light on. The household blinked and recoiled, seeming surprised by the yellow light.

"It's done." Naru stated. "You are free now to do whatever you want. Morishita-san, may I have the key to the room please?"

"O-Of course." Kana stood before freezing. Her eyes caught onto the blue and darker blue colored vase in Naru's hands. Noriko and Ayami stared at it as well, seeming confused. It proved that the suggestion worked.

After the household occupants left, Mai drew a chalk circle around it. She stared at it for a moment before both teens went back to Base. "Any movement?" Naru asked.

"Negative." Lin stated, engrossed with reading the temperatures.

Just then, the door opened to reveal a panting Kana. "Come quickly!" She growled, her eyes angry.

They sprinted up to Ayami's room, skipping two steps at a time. The furniture, including the rug, had been turned diagonal. A chill settled on Naru's shoulders.

"Just when I was about to put Ayami-chan to sleep, I came in and everything was like this!" She said.

"Everything is diagonal!" Mai trembled slightly, pulling away.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kana demanded. "I thought hiring you guys would put an end to this."

"Are you sure Ayami didn't do this?" Ayako murmured, narrowed eyes scanning the room.

"There's no way she could have!" Mai snapped fiestly, clenching her fists in front of her. Ayami stared at the ground pitifully.

"Right. This piece of furniture was left on top." The monk touched the bed frame tenderly. "Even I couldn't do that by myself."

"There aren't any traces." Naru agreed. "I'd like to meet whoever could do such a thing." He knelt beside the man, touching the green rug. His hand reappeared with a scrap of paper, crumpled and mutilated. He slid it into his pocket, intending to throw it out later.

"I was just asking." Ayako pouted.

"It wasn't me." The girl protested.

"Yes, we know." Mai patted her head affectionately.

A scream came from the other end of the house. Mai rushed to the voice of Noriko, gasping as she locked onto what had spooked the grown woman. The entire living room had been flipped upside down.

Mai dropped to a knee as the others approached. "Even the carpet has been turned upside down!"

"This is definitely a poltergeist." Takigawa announced, seeming perplexed.

Again, Naru noticed a scrap of paper. He snatched it up and smoothed out its crinkles.

"The culprit is definitely ground spirits." Ayako challenged him stubbornly. "I'll get rid of them tomorrow. Just wait, you'll see." She padded away, her voice fading. "Good night."

Mai and Takigawa watched her go before the monk turned to Naru. "What's wrong?" He inquired. "You're deep in thought. Is something bothering you?"

Oliver compared the scraps of paper. "Don't you think the poltergeist reacted too quickly…? Psychic phenomena hate outsiders. Paranormal phenomena usually don't happen when strangers are around." He slid the papers away, deep within the confines of his pocket. A tinkle of a laugh pealed through the quiet room. Was he really hearing it…or was it the scrap of a pleasant memory, making it known once again at the stimulant set before him.

_1._ The first scrap said. _9, _the other claimed.

A chill ran through him. A shuddering seed of hope that perhaps she was still kicking lodged deep, nearly hidden in his stomach.

_19. _


	2. Doll House Case II EDIT

Ayako waved the onusa around Ayami's room. "I perform this ritual to beseech the gods." She stated, her eyes closed. Her hair was tied back, save for a few rogue strands that remained against her forehead. "I call upon them to descend from Heaven to this place where no gods dwell to purify and end this ceaseless suffering."

Naru watched from his monitor, clutching the necklace he always kept in his pocket.

"Please accept our plea for peace and tranquility." She bobbed the onusa one last time and stood, closing the door. "There. That should do the job." She held the back of her hand to her mouth and giggled delicately.

A hand brushed against Naru's as he turned to face the door. The slight scent of citrus and spice enveloped him before he felt utterly and completely alone.

Later that night, he sent Mai to record the temperatures in each room. He examined the clipboard of recordings. "The temperature in Ayami-chan's room is a bit low." He commented, spinning around and pulling up the blue print of the house's build. "There are no distortions or cracks in the house. The floors are stable too. As there are no signs of a sinking water table, there cannot be any ground subsidence."

"That means the culprit is a spirit, right?" Mai stared at him, drawing her eyebrows together over her wide eyes.

"That possibility is becoming more likely." He responded, not looking over at her.

"Are you serious?" She gasped.

As if hearing the fearful conversation, Kana's scream tore through the house.

"Kana-san!" They sprinted into the kitchen, following her voice. Flames had sprouted from the oven, peculiarly spiraled.

"The flames just burst out suddenly." She screamed as Mai hugged her and led her away.

"Please stand back." Naru directed, holding his arm out to protect them. "Fire extinguisher!"

Takigawa was on it, bringing Noriko into the room behind him. Noriko consoled Kana as she cried, and Mai watched the liquid carbon dioxide douse the flames.

After it was out, Mai was crouched down on the floor, exhausted from the fear. First ghosts, now fire. It was getting to be too much. When she looked up, she noticed a small, shadowy face at the window and cried out. "Naru! Someone's out there!"

He parted his lips and ran to the window, glancing at the ground before peering at Mai. "No one's there."

"Someone was there, looking in." She argued. "A child…" Her face melted back into fear.

They padded up the stairs, heading to Ayami's temporary room. "Minnie," the child's voice rang through the door quietly. "I'm covering you with a blanket."

Mai looked in through the door, Naru and Takigawa looking over her head.

"Ayami!" Noriko pushed through the three and flicked on the light. She ran to the girl and put her hands on her shoulders. Ayami stood, staring at her. "Ayami! Did you look into the kitchen just now?"

"No." Ayami hummed, blinking.

"But, Mai-chan said there was a child." Noriko frantically murmured. "You really didn't look inside from the garden?"

"No, I didn't." Ayami backed away fearfully. "It wasn't me!"

The room shook, as if it heard Ayami's distress. The bookshelf knocked against the wall, pulsing. "What's that?" Mai asked quietly.

"It wasn't Ayami," the child whimpered. "No!"

The bookshelf pulsed harder until it began to fall forward. "Noriko-san!" Mai warned fiercely.

"Onee-san!" Ayami gasped.

The room was tense as she was caught beneath it.

Naru noticed that it slowed before falling, as if something were willing it not to kill her.

* * *

><p>The next day, Takigawa stared at the monitors as he addressed Ayako. "You failed again!"<p>

"Of course. I'm useless!" She sneered and spun away.

"It looks like it responded to the child's scream." Takigawa commented. "Perhaps she was the child that Mai saw."

"You mean that Ayami-chan is the culprit?" Naru inquired, still focused on the monitors.

"But the hypnotic suggestion test showed that the culprit was not human." Takigawa challenged himself. "How much confidence do you put in that test?"

"One hundred percent." Naru replied.

"What about the possibility that the suggestion didn't work?" Takigawa continued.

Mai looked between them as they spoke.

"That is not possible." The teen responded.

The monk scowled. "You say that so confidently!"

"Naru," Lin interrupted. "The temperature in Ayami-chan's room is starting to fall."

"Lin, the speaker." Naru barked.

Koujo obediently turned the sound up, pushing the little dial to the top of the soundboard.

Ayami's room was rattling. The monitor didn't show it, though.

"Amazing." Naru breathed, bent over his laptop.

"What?" Mai gasped dramatically.

"The temperature in Ayami-chan's room. It's dropping very rapidly. It's almost below freezing." The pale green of the floor turned to a deep infrared blue as he spoke.

"This means the culprit behind the poltergeist…" Mai began.

"Cannot be Ayami-chan." Naru finished. "This isn't caused by any human."

Mai padded to Noriko's room and watched Ayami play with Minnie.

"Ayami-chan is quiet." She commented.

Noriko didn't take her eyes off the girl as she brushed her doll's hair. "She used to be much more cheerful and sociable. But she's been like this since my brother remarried and we moved to this house."

Kana entered with two gentle knocks. "Ayami-chan, it's time for your snack." She beamed, holding a tray of orange juice and cookies. She settled beside Ayami, taking note of her sudden fear. Ayami held the doll closer to her. "Isn't it great to have company? What were you doing?"

Ayami said nothing.

"I wish you'd answer me…" The smile faded a fraction. "Look, I have cookies." The smile disappeared with the response. "You don't want them?"

Ayami nodded once.

Kana frowned and stood abruptly. "Fine." She snapped. "Do as you please." The door slammed at her exit.

Both Mai and Noriko flinched.

"Ayami," Noriko knelt at the coffee table. "Since you don't want them, I'm going to have some." As she picked one up, Ayami slapped it from her hand.

"No!" She yelped. "They're poisoned! Minnie told me there's poison in the snacks. That person is an evil witch." She clutched Minnie to her chest. "She used magic to make Daddy her slave. She's trying to kill you and me, because we're in her way." Her face flushed with held back tears.

Mai stared at Minnie, her mouth agape. _Minnie told her this?_

* * *

><p>Mai took a short nap before remembering to talk to Naru. She explained everything to him and awaited his response.<p>

"Minnie told her?" He said finally. "Ayami-chan told you that?" His sharp blue eyes looked suspicious as they considered that.

"Yeah." She bobbed her head. "Don't you think it's creepy?"

He held his chin thoughtfully between the flat of his finger and thumb.

Mai stared at him and remembered the dream that she had during her nap. _Of course it was just a dream. _She remembered his soft smile. _He wouldn't smile like that._ In the dream, Naru had warned her of the danger Ayami was in. He went to Noriko after Mai's explanation and asked for the doll.

Noriko handed the doll over to Naru at his suspicion. He held it under the arms and stared at it. "Here's the doll." She said. "My brother bought this for her right before we moved here."

He looked at it passively. It had a red bow and smiling painted lips. It's dress was red and frilly and it's eyes wide and green.

"Did Ayami start to change before or after that?" He tore his eyes away from it.

"I think it was after." Noriko held her hand to her face and jerked when the door burst open.

Ayami panted at the handle. "Giver her back!" She screamed, her eyes saddened as opposed to angry. She ran to him and clutched his black shirt when he held the doll out of her reach. "Give her back! Don't touch her!"

"Ayami-chan," he bent down to address her. "I've heard you can talk to Minnie?"

She stared at him before glancing at the ground, ashamed. With a sudden grunt of effort, she tore the doll from his hands and ran away. "I won't let anyone touch her!"

"Ayami!" Noriko chased after her.

Naru stood with his mouth slightly open before glaring at the wall in thought.

He waited until she was asleep to send Noriko and Mai to take the doll back. "Sorry, Ayami-chan." Mai whispered, holding the doll. "We're just going to borrow Minnie for a little while."

The two young women exchanged a nod before Mai brought the doll to Ayami's abandoned room. Mai set it up on the bed so that the doll was sitting upright.

Mai glanced over her shoulder nervously as she hurried back to Base. It was creepy to know that she was walking down a dark hallway in a haunted house.

"So this is Minnie," Takigawa leaned over as Mai entered the room and padded to be behind Lin and Naru. "Did she really lend it to us?"

"We managed to take it somehow while Ayami-chan was asleep." Mai answered sheepishly. She looked at the doll illuminated by night vision. "It looks sort of creepy."

"Well, that's because dolls were originally supposed to be vessels to trap human souls." The monk answered knowledgably. "Because they're soulless and empty, spirits can easily possess them." He leaned further down to speak to Lin and Naru. "So what exactly are you going to do now?"

Naru stood, not taking his eyes away from the monitor. The frown on his face caused her to follow his gaze.

Minnie was no longer in the upright position Mai had left her in, but laying face down on the bed. "No way." She gasped. "She was sitting there just a moment ago."

Slightly, the doll was dragged down the bed. Again, and again. It slid slowly down the comforter. It got closer to the camera until it's head rolled from the body and stared up at the lens.

They all looked at the camera placed on the floor. The head rolled off the bed with a gentle thud and rolled across the floor. It landed against the lens, causing all sorts of transmission errors.

Mai screamed, hiding her face in her hands and hunching over. At this point, Lin was standing as well.

Naru glared at the face pressed against the lens.

"It's an error." Naru stated.

Takigawa took off running, no doubt towards Ayami's room.

Mai stared a millisecond longer before running up alone. She heard Takigawa gasp, and paused before running up.

"It's sitting just like when we saw it before." The monk muttered.

"This is not unusual." Naru said from behind them.

Both members turned to stare at him with a slight gasp. He had made no noise. "Instruments and spirits are incompatible." His arms were crossed casually as he explained.

* * *

><p>On day four of the investigation, Mai padded up to Ayami's temporary room and raised her hand to knock. She didn't think Ayami and Minnie should be together anymore.<p>

"This house is full of evil witches." A tinny voice explained from inside the closed door. Mai hesitated.

"Onee-chan too?" Ayami asked, probably wide-eyed.

"She is just another one of them." The tinny voice agreed. Mai put her ear to the door with a frown.

"I want onee-chan to stay with me." Ayami protested.

"No, no. I will take care of them for you. So in return, you have to listen to what I say."

Mai burst through the door. Ayami and Minnie were sitting across from each other. "Ayami-chan, who is it you were talking to just now?"

"Minnie." The child said blatantly, pointing.

"Just Minnie?" Mai asked.

"And other kids as well." The kid pointed behind Mai to an open door leading to a dark room. "But…they're gone." She blinked.

Mai glared at the space. She had closed that door properly, but it was open again. Why was it open?

"Is that so?" She acted sheepish and scratched her head. "Maybe they don't like me. How long have your friends been coming to visit you?"

"Don't know." Ayami said simply.

"Does Minnie also get along well with your friends?" Mai smiled.

"Minnie brought them here." Ayami stated.

Mai's head snapped to stare at the doll. The once-friendly smile seemed full of malice and evil.

She left the child and doll and headed back to Base to share her findings with Ayako and Houshou. Naru sat in his chair, listening as Mai told them.

"What's with this place?" Ayako stared at the ceiling. "The notorious haunted house of this neighborhood?"

"More to the point," Takigawa also seemed interested in the roof of the room. "Isn't this about Minnie?"

They both looked at Mai. "Didn't she say it was Minnie who brought those invisible friends?"

"Yeah." She said monosyllabically.

"Is there a spirit pretending to be Minnie by attaching itself to the doll?" Takigawa asked Naru, turning to face him.

"That seems likely. Do you want to take care of it, Bou-san?"

The monk grinned. "Sure! Finally it's my turn."

* * *

><p>He waited until the moon was high to chant. "Naumaku sanmanda bazaradan senda makaroshada sowataya un tarata kan man" he sat across from Minnie, wearing his traditional deep navy robe and violet sash. A camera was set up behind Minnie, observing his prayer.<p>

"Naumaku sanmanda bodanan on boron. On sunba unbazara un hatta." He chanted the mantra to Trailokyavijiya Vidya-raja to cleanse the doll of all earthly desires. Mai watched the mantra until there was a sharp scream. She sprinted out to the hall to see Noriko sprawled in the floor, teeth clenched with pain. "Noriko-san! What happened?"

"M-my foot!" She managed, her eyes screwed up with pain.

Takigawa appeared, apparently hearing the scream and interrupting his prayer. "Her ankle is dislocated!" He knelt down to examine it.

"Someone pulled my ankle really hard." Noriko explained through her pain.

Mai gasped as she saw the child-size hand print bruising on the woman's ankle.

When Naru heard of the accident, he went straight to Ayami to get the doll. "We need to borrow Minnie for a while."

"Where's Minnie? Bring her back!"

"How long has Minnie been talking?" Naru cut her off.

"Give her back! She's my friend!" Ayami roared in her treble voice.

"Ayami-chan, Noriko-san is hurt. Minnie did it. Isn't that right?" His voice rose in pitch at the last sentence. He wasn't sympathetic to the girl's feelings in the least.

Ayami trembled and cried into Mai's chest.

"Don't shout! You're mean to make such a small child cry!" Mai glared at the other teen.

"That's not the problem here, is it?" He challenged her.

"It _is _the problem." Mai rocked the child back and forth comfortingly.

"I-I'm sorry." Ayami whimpered. "Minnie said not to speak with anyone. If I make friends, she hurts me. So…" Snot dribbled down her face and onto her lips, where she swiped it away with her pink pajama sleeve.

"How long has Minnie been talking?" Naru repeated his earlier question with stern closed eyes.

"Since I came to this house." Ayami said obediently. She explained about how she couldn't make friends. "If I forget my promise and play with onee-chan, she'll hide my things and mess up my room."

"She's so mean!" Mai exclaimed.

"After that, Minnie started to bring you other friends." Naru confirmed.

Ayami nodded. "Yeah. There are a lot of them, and they're all about my age." Ayami agreed. "They all tease and bully the oldest one, who is your age."

Naru frowned.

"They call her names and tell her she's stupid because she doesn't like Minnie. She says that she wants to protect me because _Minnie _is the evil witch, but she can't because she's not like the others. All of the kids are Minnie's servants."

He didn't think much of it, but it bothered him slightly as he returned to Base. Minnie was seated promptly in his chair.

"So Minnie is the cause of it." Takigawa sighed. "I wonder if the last owner died of an illness and then possessed the doll?"

"Awful," Ayako shuddered. "That's why I hate dolls."

"I don't think this is Minnie's fault." Naru told them.

"And that's your conclusion thus far?" Houshou argued.

"The doll is being used as a vessel." Naru sent the grown man a look that said what he was thinking. _Idiot._ "There is a spirit trapped in this house. Who might it be? Until we find out who this spirit really is, Ayami-chan is in danger."

Mai thought back to her dream with a frown.

"Mai-chan!" Noriko gasped loudly, right outside the door of the Base. "This…"

_I will punish the bad child._ The wall read with some mysterious red substance.

Naru explained as soon as he saw it, stepping outside to look. "Ayami-chan spoke about something she was not supposed to. Minnie thinks Ayami-chan has betrayed her. Mai! Stay close to Ayami-chan."

Kana scowled and disappeared to her room to pack. No way would she stay here any longer. "I'm not staying in this creepy house." She called as she left.

Mai and Noriko coaxed Ayami out to the gardens, where Mai leaned to Noriko and whispered. "They're removing that graffiti now." It was Naru's idea to do it, so he might possibly be kind. Mai shook her head. "No, not him."

Noriko looked at her. "What's that?"

"Nothing! I was just talking to myself." She gave an embarrassed laugh. Takigawa was burning the doll, giving a little mantra before unceremoniously tossing it into the fiery pit he had created.

"The monk disposed of Minnie." She told Noriko."

"Thank you. I'm sorry." Noriko replied.

"Don't be. This must be more difficult for you, Noriko-san." Mai leaned in as she spoke. "Especially with Kana-san leaving."

"There's nothing we can do about it." Noriko shrugged.

"Onee-chan, does your leg hurt?" Ayami ran up, sporting a green sundress and yellow poofs in her braids.

"I'm fine." Noriko flexed her bandaged leg for proof. "If I can be friends with you, my pain will go away."

"I'm glad." Ayami grinned. "I'm going to pick some flowers for you! Mai-chan, will you come too?"

Mai beamed and held her fist up. "Sure!" She got to her feet and headed towards the garden of numerous different flowers. There were velvety purple morning glories, and strong white hibiscuses. Naturally, little yellow daisies dotted between the red and orange flowers too. "Which one should we pick?"

"This one!" Ayami dug her hands into the jungle of leaves and stems, patting away to find the one that belonged to the pretty white hibiscus. "Ah!"

"A-Ayami-chan?" Mai leaned over to see the girl's face.

Sweat prickled on the young child's brow. "I can't pull my hands out!" She screamed.

Mai dug through the stems and grabbed the girl's wrists, pulling until the both fell backwards.

Mai straightened and looked into the flowerbed. There was nothing there but dirt and violated petals.

Ayami ran off wailing apologies to Minnie.

"Mai-chan stop her!" Noriko shouted. "There's a pond over there!"

"Minnie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry! Don't be angry!" Ayami cried as she sprinted, glancing over her shoulder. She slowed and turned her back to the pond. "Minnie? Don't be mean!"

Mai watched as Ayami's foot caught on a rock and sent the child flying backwards into the murky green pond. Ayami screamed.

"AYAMI-CHAN!" Mai cried out. She reached the water and jumped in. "Ayami-chan where are you?" She said as the water submerged her. A sudden force grabbed her hand, and she screamed. Bubbles rose around her mouth as she was dragged to the bottom of the pond, where Ayami had sunk into the mud and pond scum.

Mai reached out and clutched the girl as she was released with sudden pressure, spurting upwards. She swam Ayami back to the shore, where Noriko was waiting. "Thank God," Noriko hugged the child tightly, regardless of the water streaming from her clothes and hair.

Mai looked out over the water to see Minnie before a hand dragged her down. A pale, slender hand that looked like it could be human. Could that be the rebellious friend that Ayami was talking about?

By the time Mai and Ayami were changed into dry clothes, the sun was setting. It sent orange rays of fire through the windows and lit the walls. "We should move away. That might be for the best." Noriko brushed the hair away from Ayami's sleeping face.

"There are cases of poltergeists that follow from house to house." Naru countered.

"That can't be!" She gasped. "Then what should we do?"

"Please calm down." Naru stated. "I have traced the previous owners of this house."

Mai looked at him. So _that _was what he had been doing while everyone else was busy.

"The Watanabe family lived here before yours." He said. "They lived her for three years, but they sold the house to relocate for work."

"They didn't move out because of strange things happening?" Mai asked.

"No." He continued his findings. "Before them, the Nogi family lived here. Their daughter died of an illness at the age of nine. Before them, it was the Onumas. Their three children died here within six months."

"All three?" Mai gasped.

"Two boys and a girl, ages ten, eight and seven, died of illness or accident. Then before that, it was the Murakamis. They had a fifteen-year-old daughter. Nothing happened to her. Then before that, it was the Taniguchis. A ten-year-old child of their relatives died while visiting here. And before that, a nine-year-old child, the youngest child of the Ikedas, died. Before that it was the Tachibanas. Their eight-year-old daughter died. That's all."

"So that means this house is a danger to children around eight?" Mai asked as Noriko broke into her hands.

"What should I do?" She said, shaking violently.

"On this matter, I will ask the experts to come." Naru told her. "If you decide to leave this house, please at least wait for them before you go."

Takigawa waited until they left the room for Base to speak. "It must have something to do with that doll!" He shook his fists at Naru, who walked with his arms crossed. "I've seen similar cases before. The spirit of a girl who loved this doll is possessing it and making it wander around the house."

"The problem is not the doll itself," Naru pushed the door open and led Mai and Takigawa into the Base. "It's just that Minnie is possessed by the ghost of a suicide victim in this house."

"But…" Takigawa was about to argue. The doorbell resounded in the house, two simple notes.

Waiting at the door were John Brown the Catholic exorcist and the psychic medium Hara Masako. "Haven't seen you in a while!" The blond said cheerfully.

"John, Masako." Mai greeted them from the doorway.

As they rounded the corner and headed to Base, Masako stopped. "What _is _this?" She held her kimono's sleeve to her face.

"Masako?" Mai and John turned to her.

"This is the first time I've seen such a horrifically haunted house." She murmured, her face paler than usual.

Mai threw her arms over the girl's shoulders and led her down the hallway. "Are you all right? We're in our base." She told the shorter girl.

"Masako!" Ayako rushed the teen. "What happened to you?"

Naru padded up to her just for Masako to fling herself at him. She clutched his arms. "Hara-san." He greeted. Mai stared at them with horrified frustration at the teen.

"Spirits of dead children are everywhere in the house." She murmured, not looking up at him. "They are all in pain. They are weeping, saying they want to return to their mothers."

Mai calmed. "Besides, this house is attracting spirits. They are all spirits of children." Masako continued, looking up at Naru. She fell back into Mai, receiving a chorus of her name from Ayako, Takigawa and Mai.

* * *

><p>After night fell, John stood by Ayami's bedside, bathed in the light from the lamp on the nightstand. Noriko was beside him, listening as he recited a prayer. Naru stood a ways away from them, observing. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." A cross was fastened around the sleeping child's neck. "I've said a prayer a prayer for her," he told Noriko, his soft blue eyes concerned. "It should be a bit better now."<p>

"Thank you very much." Noriko bowed to him.

"Well then, Shibuya-san. What about the doll?" John inquired.

Takigawa opened the door and looked in at Naru. "Naru, Minnie's disappeared! Just when I wasn't paying attention…"

"It escaped." He narrowed his eyes. "It will reappear shortly. For sure."

But it didn't until at precisely 2 in the morning, when wailing filled the household. "Naru, the microphones are picking up noise!" She said over the children's voices.

"Switch over!" He ordered.

"Those are the voices of the children." John whispered, horrified. "So many of them…I wonder how many?"

Abruptly, over the noise, a frustrated shout filled the microphones.

Naru tilted his head at the familiarity of the voice. _19. _He remembered, and thought about the citrus and spice he had experienced earlier.

"They sound like they're looking for Ayami-chan." Mai realized.

"John's prayer was effective." Takigawa commented, looking up at one of the monitors. "That means the barrier is doing its part."

"Barrier?" Mai spun to look at him.

"It's a spell to prevent evil spirits from entering." He explained.

Suddenly, the voices disappeared.

"What happened?" Mai wondered.

"Naru, look at this!" Ayako pushed through the door, carrying a bundle of blankets in her arms. The blankets fell away to reveal the doll, Minnie. "I noticed a bulge under Ayami-chan's blanket." She said, staring down at it. "When I uncovered it, I found this."

"Is Ayami-chan okay?" John inquired as the others glared at the porcelain figure.

"Yes," Ayako sighed.

_The voices stopped because they found Ayami_…Mai realized with horror. The barrier had failed.

An hour or so later, John prayed over Minne. A cross was impaled right above her head, and her eyes had been closed. "Our Father, who art in Heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven." He set a cross down on her forehead. The burning green eyes flew open.

Mai cried out and turned her head, clutching Takigawa's sleeve.

"In the beginning was the Word," John sprinkled Holy Water over the doll. "And the Word was with God." The doll trembled and twitched. "And the Word was God. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."

The golden cross burned into her head before falling off. "I think the spirit is gone." John announced. "But it hasn't been destroyed. We should burn the doll so the spirit can never possess it again."

And so they did when it was light outside. This time, Minnie was truly burnt, unlike the last time when she escaped unscathed after the monk burned her.

They met up at Base when Minnie was no more. "I think the spirit behind Minnie is the ghost of a suicide victim that is trapped in this house." John said. "Could it have been one of the children who died in this house?"

"Probably." Takigawa agreed. "Probably the child felt lonely and took those children who came to this house to be friends." He turned to Naru for approval. "Then those children became ghosts too."

"Why would it only want children?" He demanded, remembering the shout when the children had been wailing.

"Ah?" Takigawa urged.

"If it was lonely, it would have looked for a mother. Then Noriko-san or Mai would have been good. But Minnie tried to get rid of them. Why?" He asked of them.

Mai entered the room, looking somewhat tired.

"Mai." Naru barked. "How's Hara-san?"

"She still feels unwell." The part-time assistant answered.

"I see." Naru answered, ending the conversation. "Shall we try an exorcism, Bou-san?"

"Me?" The monk didn't seem as confident as he had been his first go.

Naru typed away at his computer, accessing his notes. "The first child who died was Tachibana Yuki. These are the dates of her birth and death, and her posthumous Buddhist name." He showed them the screen. "She belonged to the Jodo sect."

"I'm impressed that you found information on something that happened seventy years ago." Houshou admitted.

"It was easy." He stood and walked to Lin. "Can I have a look at the records?"

The same day, Noriko and Ayami left for a hotel, armed with charms from Takigawa and John and Ayako.

After they were cleared out, Takigawa Houshou chanted his alien-sounding mantras in Ayami's room.

"The temperature in Ayami's room is dropping rapidly, especially around the bed." Lin announced to Naru. "It's dropped two more degrees."

"Microphones?"

"Nothing abnormal at the moment." Lin replied. "Surprisingly, there is little noise." He listened until rattling could be heard. "The ghost noises have just started. It's a knocking noise."

Mai stared at all the monitors until she locked onto the fogging camera in the living room. "Naru, the living room!"

"Lin, what's the temperature now?" Naru demanded.

"It's minus two degrees at the moment." Lin replied.

"Minus two?" Naru repeated. He picked up his mic. "Bou-san, it's not that room. It's the living room."

"Living room?" The monk repeated.

"Naru!" Mai drew his attention back to the living room, where the purplish-blue spirits of the children wailed. They attacked the monk when he ran in.

"What is this?" he swatted at them brutishly. "There! There! There!" He joined his hands, his index fingers vertical. "Naumari saba tatakiyati biyari sarabamokkei biyari sarabata taraku."

A sudden wheeze filled the air, and Mai looked up. "Tomiko…" A voice groaned. A black apparition began to form from behind the monk. "Tomiko…" It groaned again. "My child…" It's white eyes opened, illuminating the traditional Japanese geisha-hair and kimono of a pale woman.

"Behind you, Bou-san!" Naru warned.

Takigawa peered behind him. "Hey, there's nothing there!"

"Can't he see it?" Naru frowned.

Mai gasped and took off to the living room.

"Stop, Mai!" Naru ordered.

"Bou-san!" She ignored Naru and burst into the living room.

Takigawa stared at her with frustration. "You idiot! Get out of here!"

She gasped, seeing nothing. The silhouette was only visible through the camera. "It's not here!"

"Stop mumbling!" he told her. "Get out!"

She lunged to him. "You too, Bou-san. Get out here quickly!" The spirit of the woman passed right through her. _I won't let anyone stand in my way. _A voice hissed in her head. Hands grasped her throat. Mai wailed soundlessly and clawed at the spiritual hands on her neck.

"Mai!" The monk called. "Naumaku sanmanda bazaradan kan!" He chanted He caught her as she fell forward. "Are you all right?" He began to lead her out of the room when there was a crack. A deep stone well was revealed.

They flicked the lights on and had everyone examine it when the spirits had cleared out. "The floor was laid down after the well was filled in." Takigawa explained, kneeling down and looking at it. "This is pretty old."

"The spirit of the woman is trapped here." Masako announced. "She is hiding in the depths of the well, calling out for the spirits of children by pretending to be their mother. Though the children want to go home, they are lost and can't get out."

"Is Minnie here too?" Mai inquired.

"Minnie—actually Tachibana Yuki—is the leader of the children." Masako said. "But in reality, she is feeling so much pain and sorrow that she just wants all this to stop." Masako stared down the well with sad blue eyes.

The sobbing voices of the deceased children echoed up the stones. "It seems to me that the well goes down very deep into the earth, and at the very bottom, the spirits of children are unable to leave." Masako told them.

"And Tomiko?" Naru asked.

"She is the woman's daughter." Masako answered. "The woman is looking for her child, her own daughter, so she is gathering children."

"I see." Naru stated. He padded towards the door.

"Naru?" Mai asked.

"I'm going out. I'll leave the rest to you." He called, leaving.

"W-Wait! Naru!" Mai called as he closed the door behind him. "Geez, you could've been more specific than just 'I'll leave the rest to you'!" She roared.

"As usual, he is going his own way." Takigawa put his hands on his waist. "Shall we cleanse the spirits while Naru is away?"

"Great!" She said. "This time it will be your turn." She looked over at Ayako and John.

"Which of you is going to take up the challenge?" Takigawa teased.

Ayako scowled at the smiling John. "Fine, I'll do it." She closed her eyes with frustration. "Bou-san, John, stay with Ayami-chan." She sighed.

* * *

><p>That evening, she prayed with her onusa. "Here I humbly offer a modest cleansing ritual and enshrine this temporary altar…"<p>

Mai sat behind her listening. Ayako had brought Mai because she was too scared to be alone. Mai shivered, a chill settling in the room. "In the sacred presence of His Majesty, the Emperor of Yamato, who reigns over the Land of the Eight Grand Islands as living god…" A sudden slam rocked the room.

There was the sound of running feet.

"Ayako, continue!" Mai ordered.

Ayako stared off until she snapped back. "I know!" She was about to resume until she gasped.

"Ayako!" Mai called.

"Someone touched me!" She whimpered.

"Stay focused!" Mai commanded. "You're a priestess, aren't you?" She gasped and quivered as a hand wrapped around her ankle.

"Mai?" Ayako craned her neck to look at her.

"My…My foot!" Mai shook. With a sudden jerk, she took off across the floor. "AYAKO!" She screamed, clawing at the wood floor. "HELP ME!"

"MAI!" Ayako screamed in response.

Lin burst into the room and sprinted towards the girl. "Taniyama-san!"

"Lin-san!" She cried out.

He lunged for her hand, their fingertips brushing. Mai was sent down into the cold, uncaring well.

Ayako rushed to the broken wood and looked down into it. Instead of just the broken floor and Mai, there was another girl that lay sprawled across the well. She was underneath Mai, as if she had saved her by self-sacrifice.

"MAI!" Ayako screamed down the well. Mai was unconscious, her eyebrows twitching.

"Ayako?" She noticed the light-haired brunette beside her.

"I'm so relieved you came around." Ayako sighed. "Who is that girl?"

Lin threw a roped down and slid down to join them. Without a word, he gathered up Mai and brought her up before returning to the unconscious mystery girl. He knelt and tenderly scooped her up before returning to Base.

"Who is she?" Ayako wondered out loud.

Mai looked at the scrape on her knee sourly, but realized how much worse it could have been had this other girl not broke her fall.

Lin laid her gently on the couch and checked her pulse. "You're okay...Koemi."


	3. Doll House Case III EDIT

Koemi was awake when Naru returned, staring into her hands. Tears had dried on her face at something Lin had told her quietly, not sharing with the rest of the group. She had known it, but it didn't seem real. Like a dream, really.

"Your back!" Mai cheered as the teen entered.

"That's why I'm here." Naru turned his head and saw Koemi. His eyes widened. "Ayumu-san."

Koemi's chin quivered and the tears struck back with renewed strength at the formality, dripping slowly down her face.

He took a tentative step towards her and stopped himself.

She hid her face in her hands, ashamed of her swollen features. "It's not fair," her muffled voice whimpered.

Naru lurched towards the monitors, turning his back on her.

Koemi drew her knees to her chest and laid her head against them forlornly.

"Hey!" Takigawa cheered. He, Masako and John stood at the door. He frowned at the sight of the tearful girl on the couch and lurched towards her. "Who is this?"

"Don't 'hey' me!" Mai turned to glare at him. "You are supposed to be with Ayami-chan!"

"Nobody answered me!" He hugged Koemi around the shoulders.

"We will end this tonight." Naru growled in response to Mai.

"Why am I stuck with the mean one?" Koemi sniffled quietly, accepting the monk's protective entrapment.

Naru glanced at her, and then looked away as if nothing was really there. "Hara-san, how are they doing?"

"They're still in the living room. They haven't left for the hotel." Masako closed her eyes and searched with her psyche.

"Matsuzaki-san, please make some charms to guard against the ghosts." He addressed the priestess, holding up a stack of rectangular papers.

"Everyone, put them all over the house." He ordered the rest. "We'll set up a barrier inside the house."

"What are you planning?" Takigawa asked, rocking Koemi slightly.

"I plan to return Tomiko to that woman." Naru answered.

"Eh?" Everyone gasped, save Koemi, who stared at the group absently.

"But Tomiko-chan…" Mai began.

"Of course it would be impossible to bring Tomiko here physically. But as long we're unable to return Tomiko to her, we won't be able to persuade that lady." He explained.

"You're talking some serious…" Koemi trailed off. "I forget. But I know it's serious."

"So…" Naru began.

"Don't tell me you want to use Ayami-chan?" Mai gasped, offended.

Koemi stared at her, tilting her head. "That's not the same kind of serious as I was talking about. I suppose it _could _work, but Tomiko's mother isn't stupid. I was thinking…I don't remember. My brain is all fuzzy right now. It's like a curse...but not."

"The problem is that woman…" Naru closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to stare at Koemi's pale face. "If we can't draw her out, there's no point."

"That woman is dangerous!" Ayako snapped. "She pulled Mai right into the well! And this girl too! Shouldn't we be worrying about our own safety first?"

"So you're going to abandon Ayami-chan?" Mai asked.

They all looked guilty.

"Look at all of you gathered here, and the deplorable state you're in." He crossed his arms in a dominating gesture. "I don't need psychics of your caliber."

"Let me do it." Koemi stood up suddenly, lurching to her feet unsteadily.

"Who are you?" Takigawa asked, realizing she was stable enough to answer now.

"My name is Ayumu Koemi." She replied, using her Japanese name. "And I…want to go home." Tears filled her eyes. "But my home is gone and I don't know anything anymore except that someone dear to me is dead and I didn't get to say goodbye because I was half-dead or something!" Her voice rose higher and higher until she collapsed to the ground. "It's not fair! And now the only person left that I'm absolutely sure of is _that _narcissistic _asshole _who refuses to look at me because he's weird and I never know what he's thinking." She switched into English. "What did I do?"

"No. You're too weak to do it." Naru stated, remaining in Japanese. "Whether you trust me or not is up to you." He walked out of the base. "If you go home, it's your choice."

"Oi!" Koemi snarled, following him. "You have absolutely no right to ignore me!"

"You have no right to speak to me." Was his cool response.

Koemi froze before sulking. "You're such an asshole. I can't believe I was attracted to you at any point in time," she spun on her heel and marched back into the Base. When she saw Masako and Mai staring dreamily after Naru, she scowled and returned to following the boy. "You're an asshole and you don't even try, you freaken narcissist."

He barked orders to the others, orders that Koemi tuned out because she never listened to him.

"Koemi, go home." Naru addressed her without an honorific. "Go home right now."

"No." She replied simply. "I'm going to watch you exorcise that ghost without my aid. Without…" She trailed off. "Well, you know who..."

"Go." He ordered.

"Make me." She challenged cheekily.

"Get out of here." He ordered. "Nobody wants you here."

She recoiled slightly before looking at her feet. "Obviously I do."

"I hate you." He stated coldly. "It's your fault."

Koemi's eyes widened and she backed away at the venom in his tone. "I—." She spun and left to find Lin. "Lin," she called, clenching her fists. The room seemed to quiver. "Lin! I need your phone!"

* * *

><p>Naru completed his exorcism with a wooden effigy, resolving the lack of Tomiko's soul. He immediately called the one person he knew would be in possession of Koemi. "Kazumi." He addressed the older brother as soon as the ringing ceased.<p>

"What do you want, Pervert?" Snarled the poisonous voice of Koemi's older brother and guardian.

"Is Koemi there?"

"Yes." He growled, obviously gritting his teeth over the phone. "She's scared." His tone melted to concern. "Won't speak. Eat. She won't even cry, for God's sake."

"Why?" Naru asked.

"You broke her heart." He hissed. "She needed you to be there for her this one time. _Once_. You let her down. Hua is dead."

"Hua…" Naru remembered her well. Kazumi's fashion-obsessed pregnant fiancé was like a sister to Koemi. "How?"

"During labor. Something went wrong, and she was… gone. Just like that."

"I'm sorry…" Naru said. "How did she get to you so quick?"

"I'm in Japan." He said simply. "I moved to England because of Hua."

A scream reach Naru through the background. "NO!"

"I have to go." Kazumi sighed. "She's…"

"I want to see her." Naru announced, his heart skipping a beat at the sound of her lost voice.

"No." Kazumi replied simply.

"Let me talk to her."

"Not happening." Kazumi growled. "It's your fault she disappeared in the first place."

Naru remembered it easy enough.

* * *

><p><em>Her teeth gleamed in the darkness as Koemi grinned, examining the house.<em>

_ "Be careful," Naru ordered her. "Don't do anything stupider than usual."_

_ Koemi gave a throaty chuckle and gracefully sat down beside him. "You're the stupid one, fetus face."_

_ He met the insult with a possessive kiss and smirked at her surprise. "What? A man can't kiss his girlfriend?"_

_ "You're just a boy." She told him, regaining her sense. "A boy with the heart of a fetus." She popped the hood of her long blue cloak and stood. "You aren't Wiccan, but you'll do. I need you right now."_

_ "I bet you do," he flirted. At her scowl, he stood. "What do you need me for?"_

_ "This is Round One of exorcism," she instructed. "You're going to say 'revive the spirit, revive the soul. I clear you of your evil toll. Let the light shine within, I clear you of your evil sin.'"_

_ "Okay." He repeated the short spell in his head to commit it to memory.  
><em>

_ She checked her watch before taking it off. She picked up a wooden broom and went through the motions of sweeping without actually touching the ground. "With this broom, tool of my will, I do cleans, purify and prepare this space. From this circle now I banish all fear, malice and misfortune, that this circle may be a fit meeting place for gods and men. As I do will, so mote it be." She turned back to Oliver._

_ "Come now, Naru." She brought him and clutched both his hands in hers. A crystal ball sat on the ground, and a fluorite stone. Together they chanted. "Revive the spirit, revive the soul. I clear you of your evil toll. Let the light shine within, I clear you of your evil sin."_

_ The room rattled and she set out to one of the corners of the room, wielding a cinnamon incense as she went. She lit it and walked to the opposite wall. "Earth and air, purify to good, blow away evil." She let the incense billow out smoke before drawing a star with a circle around it. When it was complete, she stabbed it through with it's maker. She walked to the southeast corner of the room; somehow know exactly where she was needed. "Air and fire, blow away evil, burn away pain." She remade the smoky pentagram and stabbed it again through the center. She walked sharply to the west. "Fire and water, burn away pain, wash away fear." The longer she chanted, the more her skin seemed to glow._

_ A shadow formed in the northwest corner, glaring at Koemi. "Kill…" It wheezed, trembling as it inhaled and exhaled.  
><em>

_ Naru knew better than to interrupt her. Instead, he knocked on the wall three times. A code she had come up with.  
><em>

_ Koemi walked directly into the apparition. "Water and earth, wash away fear, bury all negativity, purify to good."_

_ Her eyes lost their color, turning solid white as she faced off with the evil being. "As Above," she hissed, her voice changing frequencies. "So Below."_

_ The creature screamed, trying to escape as Koemi's hands wrapped around it's wrinkled neck. This was a demon, no longer human. "So mote it be." A white light blossomed out of her, and he knew. She was possessed by something greater than herself.  
><em>

_ Then, as the light grew, a gentle tinkling filled the air. Darkness surrounded him. Silence. It was completely black, and no sounds escaped. The monster was gone, thankfully…But Koemi was too. She had simply… disappeared._

* * *

><p>Naru busied himself around his office the next week, drawing up maps and itineraries for every lake in Japan. He had to find his brother, overall. Otherwise this heist was worthless.<p>

"SPR, huh."

He turned his head to see Koemi leaning against the door. Her eyes were tired and dry, and her mischievous glow was all but gone.

"What does it stand for?"

"Shibuya Psychic Research." He replied, turning around to face her completely. She was wearing what appeared to be her brother's black shirt, since it hung down loosely. Black jeans sat plain underneath them. She was undoubtedly in mourning.

"That's convenient, _Kazuya_-san." She padded forward and seated herself delicately on the couch.

"I thought so." He shrugged, setting down his folder and settling next to her. "You're…"

"Alive. Tired. Suffering a monster headache." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Furious."

"Because of what I said to make you leave." He commented quietly.

"And then you wanted to see me." She continued. "What the hell are you thinking? Are you some sort of idiot? Well, yes. Yes you are. But still! Why are you such a re—."

Instead of speaking, he leaned towards her and kissed her. Her lips were thinner than he remembered, but at least she was shocked enough to stop talking.

"REALLY?" She shoved him away. "You're such an asshole." She stalked across the office. "I hate you."

Naru followed her and grabbed her by the arm. "Why did you come then?"

Koemi was tense beneath his touch, but she turned to him nonetheless. "Because I'm stupid, and I can't hate you no matter how much I want to." She seemed to deflate.

He took her into a gentle hug. "You're right."

"About what?"

"You _are _stupid."

Koemi leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. "I'm too tired to yell at you."

"We'll make it through this."

"_I'll _make it through this. You can follow me if you want." Her hands clutched his sleeves tightly.

He kissed the side of her head, finally feeling human again. "I was trying to be comforting." He kissed her ear.

"Well stop it." She tilted her head to speak, but didn't break the embrace. "It's weird. You're not meant for comforting."

"I'm not going to disagree." He smirked coldly.

"I'm losing my balance," she whimpered before she stumbled. Naru's legs tangled with hers and they both toppled to the floor. "Why did you fall?" She screeched from on top of him.

"You're heavy." He answered simply.

Koemi snarled and punched the ground beside his head threateningly. "You don't even want to go there."

His eyes seemed to smile as she glared at him. "Or what?"

The door opened quietly, but the one who entered was not. "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"

Koemi flinched at the girlish shout and turned her head to regard Mai.

Naru lifted himself on his elbows and spoke before Koemi could. "She tripped and knocked me over."

"Why is she still on you?" Mai demanded.

"Because I just fell." Koemi's anger was lost, and she visibly seemed to pale as she stood and retreated to a couch.

Mai's eyes darted between the two. "Do you know each other?"

Naru didn't answer, and Koemi stared at the corner of the coffee table.

"Well?" She demanded.

"Mai-chan?" Koemi didn't bother looking. "Could you make me some tea?"

"S-sure." Mai disappeared to fulfill the request, not questioning it. Perhaps it was her assistant instinct.

Koemi snickered to herself.

"It's not nice to abuse my employees," Naru sat down beside her.

She jerked. "When did you get up?"

Mai returned with a plateful of cups. "Here!" She sat down across from them. "You seem like you know each other."

"I worked with Lin before this. Lin works for Kazuya-san." Koemi answered. "Changed dimensions during a case, didn't know it, got dragged to that house. Bada-boom, bada-bing here we are."

"So you and Naru are friends?" Mai tilted her head curiously.

Koemi sipped at the tea, winking at Mai over the cup. "Kazuya doesn't have friends, dearest."

Naru closed his eyes and flicked open his notebook of notes on current and past cases. "So, Ayumu-san."

"So?" She tilted her head in mock innocence.

"Are you interested in taking a case with us?" Naru asked.

"Oh boy." She sighed. "How fun. Are you going to tell me _what _the case is?"

"It's been reported that people are being cursed through out Yuasa High School. After a Ouiji Board, a girl flung herself on her desk during class and eat sand from the sandpit during PE." He paraphrased his notes. "A cursed desk has identically injured all the individuals seated at it for the last three months. All four of them were dragged by trains, after getting their arms caught in the doors. The class representative began fussing about ghosts and was admitted to the hospital for vomiting blood. Strange occurrences are piling up. Possible possessions and such. The director of the school came in to request our help."

"Well aren't you special." Koemi drawled sarcastically. "Curses. Somehow, I can tell this isn't the best idea for me. Regardless, those are somewhat my specialty."

"So?" He urged.

She sighed. "I guess I can help out."


	4. Yuasa High School Case I EDIT

"This is our Educational Guidance Teacher, Yoshino-sensei." The principal introduced them. The SPR stood in the hallway of Yuasa High School, the supposedly cursed school. "He will take you on a tour of the school."

"Nice to meet you." Yoshino bowed lightly.

The principal continued. "Since you requested an empty room, I prepared a small meeting room."

Koemi mentally cursed herself. When Mai had asked, Koemi had said she had been Lin's assistant. Naru wouldn't let her _not _be Lin's assistant now. That meant most of the heavy lifting and Japanese to English translations would go to her.

"We have also asked those who wish to discuss this matter with you to meet you there."

They reached the empty meeting room and Koemi sighed.

"Let's bring in our equipment as quickly as possible." Naru instructed. "Lin."

"Yes." Said assistant nodded understandingly.

"Excuse me," Yoshino interrupted, turning to face Takigawa. "Are you the leader?"

The blond monk should his head. "Oh no, it's him over there." Bou-san jerked his thumb to the teen.

Yoshino gasped.

"Is there a problem?" Naru asked.

"No, that's—Before the students start filing in, I actually have something to tell you."

Takigawa and Mai exchanged looks.

"I'm listening." Naru said. "Please tell me."

"Umm, that is…" Yoshinio sat down across from Naru at the small table. Lin sat at the head, taking notes with his laptop. "I hear knocking noises at night. The noise was so persistent that I drew open the curtains and then…Well, a see-through hand was knocking. Due to that, I haven't been able to sleep properly at night."

"Has your family heard this knocking as well?" Naru was unperturbed.

"They did, but they weren't as bothered by it as I was." Yoshino hung his head.

"I see." Naru held his head up on his joined hands.

Yoshino left, and Takigawa sighed. "So you'll be in charge of interviewing?"

"Indeed. Koemi," he turned to the girl. "You'll be in charge of mingling."

"Mingling?" She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"You'll be in charge of interviewing the students that don'tcome to us." He clarified.

She didn't fight. "And how do you propose I do that?"

He shrugged. "You're in charge of that part."

Takigawa snickered. "You should wear their uniform and pretend to be an exchange student."

"No. I don't wear skirts." She sniped down the idea immediately, twiddling with the bottom of her black shirt.

Naru raised his eyebrow in a subtle disagreement.

"Unless I want to." She revised. "I don't want to wear their uniform."

"Why? You hiding something?" Houshou wiggled his eyebrows.

She snorted. "Bou-san, what you'll learn when you're as old and wise as me, is that you never show all your tricks in the first day."

"So you're hiding some tricks in there?" He sniggered, referring to underneath her clothes.

She held a slim finger to her lips and curtsied. "Naturally."

Koemi padded up to the nearest student, a male with bright green eyes that shone like pretty emeralds. The shine intrigued Koemi. "Senpai," she bowed politely and put extra effort into accenting her Japanese with an English tone. "I was wondering, how is this school?"

He smirked as she approached, gnawing on what appeared to be a toothpick. "Where you from?"

Koemi resisted the temptation to grate her teeth. "I'm from England, Senpai. I'm considering transferring here. I just want to make sure there's nothing I should worry about."

"It's cursed, doll." He stalked uncomfortably close to her. "Shadows where you least expect them, and hands coming out of the desk." Quick as lightning, he jabbed a finger at her.

She blinked innocently._ I'm _not _an actress. _"How frightful!"

"But I can protect you," he nodded firmly. "Not only that, but I'll show you around too."

Koemi grimaced when he turned his head away to glance down the empty hall. He gripped her hand without her permission and led her to the first classroom. Room 2-5. Ice filled her bones.

"You see that desk?" He pointed to the desk in the back corner, next to the windows. "That desk is cursed."

She glared at his hand fiercely. "Cursed?"

"Four people have sat at it. All have had their arms caught in the subway and were dragged with it." He dragged her into an embrace. "But don't worry. I can protect you."

Koemi resisted the urge to tear his throat out. _Protection is the least of my concerns…_ she grimaced as his hand dropped lower than her comfort zone permitted.

He pushed her against a desk, still holding her like Naru might have, only her arms were trapped under his by sheer bad luck.

"Here it is!" The door slid open to reveal a young student. None other than Naru, Mai and Takigawa padded behind her.

Koemi closed her eyes and angled her face towards the ground.

Naru ignored them and continued on to the cursed seat. "Does anyone currently sit here?" He trailed his hand along the surface. Koemi watched on with interest. She knew he was using psychometry to review the place's past.

"Nope. No one." The student replied. "All the girls who've sat at this desk are still in the hospital for treatment."

"Kiss me, English girl." Koemi realized she had no idea who it was she was following. His name was a mystery to her.

"Ah…ha…ha…" She managed, trying to with hold her shy-seeming nature. "I'm afraid I'm not really interested. I have a boyfriend back home…"

"He doesn't have to know." 'Senpai's' dirty lips connected with hers neck, and her fist connected with his face.

"OI!" She pushed him hard and toppled him to the floor like he weighed nothing. "I SAID NO! TAKE A HINT YA' CREEP!" Her eyes flashed with a bloodthirsty gleam and she kicked him in the ribs before ducking between Naru and Mai. "Freaking people these days."

"Koemi, go back to Base." Naru ordered quietly. She could see his fist clenching and releasing, though his face didn't betray his irritation at the student.

She crossed her arms and remained rooted to her place.

"Koemi, I'm your boss's boss." He ordered.

"Exactly. Absolutely nothing to do with me." She stuck her nose high into the air and looked up at him. "I only listen to Lin-san."

"Would you like me to call him down here, or would you like to make things easy and move on now." He asked rhetorically.

"I'd like you to call him down here." She answered sharply.

Naru sighed and considered dragging her by the hair back to Base, but ruled that option out. "Koemi."

"Yes, Boss-sama?" She asked innocently, retreating to her innocent schoolgirl act.

"Make sure Takigawa is okay with interviewing." He ordered.

"B-but Boss-sama!" She fluttered her eyelashes. "Who'll take care of your _needs_?"

Mai narrowed her eyes and moved between them. "I'm his assistant!" She barked.

Koemi grinned but it was gone in a flash. This was her target. "Every man has needs that girls can't fulfill." She explained, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. "Oh, yes. And Naru is such a man indeed."

He shrugged away from her and walked away.

Mai silently glared at Koemi, who giggled. "I love making him uncomfortable!" She sang. "He's so innocent!"

Mai snapped, taking off after her boss before the strange mousy-haired brunette could pursue him.

Koemi giggled again and checked her pocket. It was easy enough to feel Naru's hand slide something into her back pocket, though she didn't see him move. A plastic key and slip of paper were discovered. A room key and hotel number for where he was staying, she'd guess.

"Oliver," she snickered. "You sly ol' dog." She left without saying goodbye to anyone, enjoying their future confusion towards her disappearance. Naru…Oliver wouldn't miss her. He would know where she was.

She hailed a cab and directed him to the written address. It smelled like cigarettes and perfumes from multiple women. The cab driver, Kenji Nakamura, raised his eyebrows at her when they started moving. "Where are you visiting from?"

She considered it. "England."

"Oh? Do you speak Japanese?" He asked.

"Fluently." She smiled. "I was raised in both languages. I moved to England when I was young, and then back here and then back there and now I'm here."

"That's quite a life," he blinked. "You've certainly been around. What part of Japan are you from?"

"Naha, Okinawa." She answered.

"No!" he gaped. "I'm from there!"

She allowed herself to be surprised. "What made you move to Tokyo?"

"My ex mother-in-law lives in Naha too…" He sheepishly turned off the road and to a parking lot.

Koemi laughed and nodded. "I understand that."

"So why are you back in Japan?" He turned around to face her.

"My brother moved here with my nieces." She shrugged. "I wanted to visit them."

"That's sweet." He smiled.

She grinned back and paid the total. _He's going to be sooo pissed when I rearrange all his belongings. Men are so stupid._

The room proved to be pretty nice, with an untouched television by the bed. She flipped it on as company and stared at the ground. Black clothes were strewn across it, instead of neatly folded or washed. _Boys…are so messy. _She sighed and set to work cleaning them, emptying the pockets and piling the dirty garments in the corner.

_Really…_ she drooped over to pick up a pair of pants. The sun had begun to set. _How much black does he need? _She threw them to the pile and heard a tiny thud. When she glanced over, she noticed a small book on the pile, where it hadn't been before. "Hnn?" She picked it up and flipped threw the pages. A blush crept across her face.

The book was filled with pictures of her, smiling and glaring alike. There were old pictures of her, when she hadn't yet dated Oliver. She looked through it on the couch, slowly slipping into sleep.

* * *

><p><em>"Miss Walker, would you care to join me?"<em>

_ "If I say no, would it be rude?" She asked, following him out the door._

_ "If it were an honest no, I suppose it would be quite alright." Eugene shrugged. "I'm Eugene Davis, by the way." He held out his hand._

_ She took it and gave it a hearty shake. "Koemi Walker," she smiled. It lit up her face, he noticed._

_ "So you're a priestess?" He asked, leading her through London._

_ "Yep," she joined her hands behind her back. "I was the high priestess of my coven, back when I was twelve. A little prodigy," a cheesy grin spread across her face._

_ Eugene smiled. "You're pretty good, then."_

_ "Not to brag or anything," she shrugged. "But I'm pretty damn awesome." _

_ Eugene laughed. "I can't help but notice your accent," he said. "Japanese? Did you move recently?"_

_ "When I was eight," she explained. "I lived here until I was twelve. When I quit my coven, I went back to Japan for three years. So, here I am now." She pushed her fists into her jacket pockets._

_ "Your brother wanted me to help you with your PK-ST, you know." He informed her. "Kazumi."_

_ "I bet he did," she scowled. "I can deal with my problems just fine."_

_ "If you don't mind, I'd like to test your strength a bit." Eugene said sheepishly, scratching his head. "You seem like you have a lot of potential."_

_ She considered it while they walked in silence._

_ "Oh," Eugene said suddenly. "Naru!" he called. _

_ A teen sitting on a bench turned his head, his eyes bored. Eugene and Naru were identical, save for the friendlier personality Eugene had._

_ Eugene led her to him, smiling. "This is my brother, Naru." He said. Naru stared at her. Her icy blue eyes glittered with hostility, and her light brown hair cascaded in curls that were tied behind her head in a rubber band._

_ "Yo." She said, her accent somewhere between Japanese and English._

_ "Naru, this is Koemi. She just moved to England from Japan." Gene finished._

_ "How did you meet?" Oliver asked, unconcerned._

_ "Her brother wants us to help her." Gene replied kindly. "And I think she has potential."_

_ "He's just a stupid oaf…" She muttered in Japanese._

_ Naru turned his uninterested gaze back to her. "We speak Japanese too."_

_ "Well congratulations," she growled darkly._

_ "You're already fighting…" Eugene shook his head. "I knew this would happen."_

* * *

><p>Oliver flicked the lights on when he entered his hotel room, but turned them off when he saw Koemi sleeping. He allowed himself to smile slightly, however alien it felt.<p>

Koemi snarled and woke with a start, hastily wiping at the tears in her eyes. He raised his eyebrows and joined her on the couch. They sat in silence before Koemi quietly spoke. "I can't see anything."

"Your eyes should be adjusted." He told her before he stretched out across the couch and laid his head on her lap.

She ran her fingers through his dark hair nearly habitually. "Oliver," she whispered his name softly, an echo of the past he had hidden from Mai and the others.

He stared up at her blindly searching eyes and smiled. "Can you see yet?"

"No." She replied, her eyes widened as if the action would allow more light into her pupils.

He scoffed. "Wow."

"Shut up," she murmured, but it was half-hearted. Her phone buzzed questioningly in her pocket and she lifted his head to dig it out. "Hi Kazu-onii." Immediately, she held the plastic device away from her ear.

"KOEMI! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? I'VE BEEN WORRYING ALL DAY! IT'S ALMOST 10:00! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Oliver plucked the device from her hand. "She's perfectly safe, I promise."

Kazumi let out a long, deafening scream. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

Koemi snickered and let Oliver rest his head again. In return, he handed her the phone back. "I'm in Oliver's hotel room."

""Get into the habit of calling me Kazuya-san. I _am _your boss." He told her.

"Lin is my boss, smart ass." She scowled down at him. "Why are you under an alias, anyways?"

"I'd prefer not to have my name leaked. I have merit in the paranormal world. Anyways, I'm looking for Gene."

Koemi tensed.

He brought her free hand to his lips and kissed her fingers softly. "If the woman who killed him sees me, she might come for me, not realizing that I'm an identical twin and not the real thing."

"I'M STILL HERE!" Kazumi screamed across the line.

Koemi sighed. "Kazu-nii, I'll be fine. I'm just over at Oliver's place. I used to spend the night at his house all the time."

"THERE WAS ALWAYS MORE THAN JUST YOU AND HIM THOUGH!" He wailed.

Koemi scowled and turned her phone off. "Stupid Kazumi."

Oliver sighed contentedly and closed his eyes, pacing his breathing with the strokes of her fingers through his hair.

Koemi's gaze drifted around the dark room and rested out the window. The city lights illuminated the room dully. The room seemed to get colder, and hair slowly appeared in the window. Koemi raised an eyebrow as an entity stared directly at Oliver with bloodshot eyes. He was defenseless at the moment, completely at ease.

It was upside down, but it slowly floated forward anyways, heading strictly towards Oliver. Koemi figured he had fallen asleep, so she gently whispered a ward. "I reverse this curse, to be sent back to it's caster, go now spell, go back to your master."

The spirit didn't glance at her, nor did it stop.

"What is dark be filled with light, remove this spirit from my sight." She attempted.

Oliver cracked his eyelid. "What?"

"You have a visitor." She pointed, pulling his hair back with her hand, baring his forehead.

He looked at the thing once and sighed with irritation. "A curse, undoubtedly."

It stopped when their eyes met. Koemi stuck her tongue out at it and crossed her eyes.

Oliver sat up and offered his lap to Koemi. "I probably won't sleep tonight. You should at least sleep."

She shrugged and accepted it. The light reflected off of Oliver's eyes, creating pools of light that stared up at the demon-like apparition. "Do you want me to exorcise it?"

He offered a tame shrug. "I want to see what it'll do."

"Then take your eyes off of it and let it continue." She suggested.

He looked down at her with interest. "Are you suggesting there's something more interesting to look at?"

"No, I'm just saying." She frowned. "Why would you even say that?"

His hand shifted to rest on her stomach. "I wonder."

Koemi's eyebrows creased. "What are you alluding at?"

"I wonder." He moved to straddle her on the couch.

"You want sex?" She uncomfortably noted the warmth between her legs and glanced at the demon. "Now?"

He shrugged, but somehow it wasn't as meek as before. His hand traveled up her arm to cup her face. "Why not?"

"There's sort of a curse that was sent to watch you," she said as his mouth pressed against her neck. "That's why."

"So?" His breath warmed her skin. A tingle of electricity shot down her spine. He kissed her open-mouthed until he reached her face, showering her with gentle kisses until he reached her lips.

"Mmmnnnh," Koemi complained quietly.

His hand slid up the bottom of her shirt and she let out an involuntary moan. "Naru…"

"Let me love you," he begged quietly, working her out of her shirt.

"I want you," she agreed softly, blushing at the confession. She didn't want to disappear again...she wanted to live before she had to live in false death.

"I won't hurt you," he promised, glancing up at the apparition briefly.

"You better hope you don't," she scoffed. "I'll punch you in the damn face if you do."

He chuckled and pressed his lips to hers in a not-so-chaste kiss, and proceeded to go places they hadn't gone before. They had messed around, sure, but this was new territory entirely.

Koemi's icy eyes met his dark blue ones, and she twirled her fingers into his raven hair. "I trust you..."


	5. Yuasa High School Case II EDIT

_Naru dug out a coin from his pocket and showed it to her. _

_ "You're silly," she snickered, sitting beside him._

_ "You scared him away." He informed her, the coin disappearing._

_ She laughed again. "How did you do that?"_

_ Oliver pulled it out from behind his elbow. "I think she's pretty," the coin waved as it spoke, though Oliver's lips didn't move._

_ "Eh?" She blinked before chuckling. "That's sweet!" _

_ "You should ask her out to dinner," the coin turned in the direction of Oliver._

_ "Really?" Blue-grey eyes met Koemi's own ice ones. _

_ The coin moved in a nod. "Yup."_

_ Koemi blinked owlishly, not actually sure of what she was supposed to do. _

_ "Say yes," the coin hissed urgently._

_ Koemi grinned. "Okay, fetus face. What time?"_

_ Naru's eyes widened. He had been smiling just as much as Gene would. In a way, it was better that she knew it was him. Wouldn't have to tell her later._

_ "Tell her that you'll pick her up at five." The coin ordered._

_ "I'll pick you up at five." Naru repeated obediently._

_ Koemi smiled and stood. "Sounds good."_

* * *

><p>Koemi laid her head on the table at Base, sleep on her mind. Across from her, Oliver shuffled through some papers he happened to have in hand.<p>

"What's wrong?" Takigawa seemed to appear from no where to stand behind Koemi.

"Mmmmblararargh." She mumbled into her arm.

"What?"

"I said that I'm tired because I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night." Koemi repeated.

"That was way longer than what you said before." He accused.

"I paraphrased the first time." She muttered.

"What's wrong?" Mai asked of Naru, setting down a tea service. "Your eyes are bloodshot."

"I was up until morning staring at that thing." He closed his eyes to hide it as the other crewmembers turned to look at him.

"You and Koemi should have hung out," Takigawa snorted. "She didn't get any sleep either. You could have kept each other company."

Koemi yawned into her hand and reached for Mai. "Doll, I need coffee. I'm tired."

"Why didn't you get any sleep?" Mai asked, padding back to the pot.

"I—er…" she quickly tried to fabricate a story. "Didn't fall asleep."

Takigawa poked at her. "You're hiding something, huh, huh?"

"A woman never reveals her secrets," She held a finger to her lips and winked.

"That again?" He groaned. "Come on, Koemi-chan. Give us something to work off of. What's your favorite color?"

"My favorite color is medium slate blue." She grinned toothily.

He gaped at her. "You're impossible!"

"You're pushy!" She snapped back.

"I don't even know what color that is!"

"It's obviously a shade of blue!"

"Then why did you use so many words?"

Lin interrupted. "Why didn't you call me?"

Koemi turned to watch Naru respond. "I was wondering what would happen." He shrugged. "Besides, I thought it would be wrong to wake you up."

Koemi snorted. "Yeah. _That _was what you were thinking about."

The room's gaze fell upon her.

"Oh Lord, was that out loud?" Koemi clapped her hands over her lips. "Oops."

"Why did you even say that?" Takigawa nudged her. "Huh, huh?"

"Next time you say huh, I'm going to punch you in the throat." She warned him. "It was an accident. Forget and forget."

"You got the phrase wrong," Mai said. "It's forgive and forget."

"I don't care if you forgive me. Just forget it." Koemi defended.

"Where were you last night?" Takigawa winked at her.

"In bed." She said.

"You said you couldn't sleep," he challenged.

"Doesn't mean I didn't try." She scowled.

"Anyways, you never said _who's _bed." He nudged her.

"Leave me alone!" Koemi snapped. "I have important work to do, unlike you bunch!"

"Yeah right," Takigawa snorted as she charged out of the room.

"It's nothing I recognize," Koemi murmured to herself. "Think, Wiccan, think!" She dropped into a crouch and clutched her head. "It's certainly a hex…But what…I can't see it when I focus…Gah!" She punched the ground angrily. "I don't want to use my spell book…"

"You're with the investigators?" A young girl stood shyly in front of her.

"Ah!" Koemi fell backwards. "H-How long have you been there?"

"Not long…" the girl whispered, abashed. "I'm sorry…" She began to retreat.

"Wait!" Koemi regained her composure and jumped up. "Are you…Kasai-san?"

The girl looked horrified. "Yes," her long brown bangs hid her face. "How did you know?"

"I read through Naru's case files when he's not looking." She answered with a grin.

"The diviner," she recognized.

"Diviner?" Koemi frowned. "Naru?" She snorted. "Yeah right. He doesn't do anything complicated by himself if he can help it. He's more like you, with psychic ability."

"Y-You believe me?" Kasai stuttered nervously.

"Naturally," Koemi held her hand out. "I'm Ayumu Koemi, a Wicca Priestess."

"Priestess? Like the Shinto one?" Kasai inquired.

"Sort of. I'm definitely self-acclaimed. I used to have a coven, but I resigned. I'm really more of a solitary person."

"So young…" Kasai murmured. "W-What do you do?"

"I mostly cast spells." She wiggled her fingers. "I'm great with setting and reversing curses, and exorcisms. All else fails with me, most of the time… Heh…I was actually about to go pray to the Goddess to get strong enough to visualize where the curses are placed."

"Placed curses?"

"Yeah," Koemi nodded. "Assuming they aren't Pagan. In this case…Eh…I'm not diverse enough to really judge that. But it's probably something physical, not so much verbal. Much easier to trace!" She grinned brightly. "I just need to purify myself to serve as a vessel to the Lord and Lady's power."

"I see…" Kasai ran away.

"Okay, bye!" Koemi called sarcastically. "Well then." She darted away. "Time to get praying!" She made her way slowly back to her brother's apartment and gathered everything she needed.

* * *

><p>Donned in a simple dress and long green cloak, Koemi settled in a hallway outside of Base. <em>I'm glad I keep so much stuff with me.<em> "I call upon you Amitiel, angel divine, I stand before your sacred shrine." In her head, she visualized a temple and slowly walked towards the man seated in it. "Spread your wings, let in the light, I pray you help to do what's right. Help me steer from what is wrong, and any evils for which I long." She saw the darkness in her core and drove it out as he spread his wings. "Help me live out every day, according to the righteous way. Let your voice ring loud and clear, to comfort me of all my fears."

A warm glow emanated from her core.

"And if I ever shed a tear, I pray, Amitiel, that you'll be near. Your guidan…"

The lights flickered in the hallway, and creaked uncomfortably.

A long, deep breath filled the air. An exhalation of despair. _"Koemi,"_ something hissed. A cloud of dark purple miasma began to form in front of her. _"Watashi ko."_

Koemi let out a whimper, scrambling away. "Papa! I'm so sorry! Please don't hit me! Please," she threw her hands in front of her face and flung herself to the floor.

A man stepped out of the mist, eyes bloodshot and drunken. _"You're nothing but a useless bitch." _He purred. _"You can't even see me most the time. Not even when you fucked your little friend. You're a whore. Just like your mother."_

Koemi babbled senselessly, shaking her head frantically. "Please leave me alone," she whispered, holding back her tears. "I don't want you here." Her voice was hoarse.

_"Why? Is it so wrong for a man to want to see his _daughter._" _The word dropped from his mouth like a bomb. A terrible dagger that sliced through her.

"NO!" she screamed. "WHY WON'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?" She stumbled to her feet and struggled to slide open the nearest door. A classroom full of students stared up at her curiously, previously hearing her scream.

"KOEMI!" Lin and Takigawa were searching for her in the hallway. "KOEMI WHAT'S WRONG? WHERE ARE YOU?"

Koemi slammed the door behind her and let out a shaky breath. The students gasped as the lights failed. _"Koemi my love, you can't get away from me. I'm stronger now. I'll kill you for what you did to me."_

Koemi shook her head and slowly backed up to rest against the open window. "Leave me alone," she sobbed. "You need to move on."

He stalked closer, his dead purple face peeling off as he leaned close to her. "Boo."

The last thing she knew were two hands pressing against her arms before she was sent out of the window.

* * *

><p><em>Koemi lazily pawed at Naru's hair as he looked over a chart. "Neh, Naru-kun. Where's Gene-kun?" <em>

_ "He went to perform an exorcism in Germany." He replied, shuffling through files. _

_ She sighed. "Germany? He didn't say goodbye though!" With an indignant huff she spun her chair around._

_ "What does it matter?" He handed her a file. "Go fill that out."_

_ Koemi stuck her tongue out at him, swinging her legs. They both looked up as her brother darted into the room, clutching a bandana. "YO!" He said with a toothy grin. He was twenty-six years old and he still acted like an idiot. "Check it!" He held out the cloth, causing Koemi to flinch and recoil. "I found it in one of the boxes in our attic!"_

_ "Throw it out." Koemi mewled hoarsely, her ice eyes stony._

_ "What?" Kazumi said stupidly._

_ "Throw it out." She refused to make eye contact._

_ Naru accepted it from the man, and his psychometry took over. A man held a gun to the head of his usual prostitute. Instinctively, he knew that she was someone that was like a mother to Koemi. Or a sister. Tears slid from her teary eyes as she tried to explain to the man that she hadn't cheated on him. _

_ Koemi skipped into the room, eight years old. "N-Nee-san?" She skidded to a halt and assessed the situation. "Papa?"_

_ Erai jumped to his feet. "YOU!" he shouted, pointing the vile weapon in her direction. "YOU'RE EQUALLY GUILTY! All you two do is sit around and talk! She's mine, you little lesbian. I _bought _her."_

_ The information didn't process to little Koemi. "Nee-san is my nee-san." She informed him._

_ "No, she's my whore." He dropped the girl to the ground and stalked towards his daughter. "Get out of here Koemi." _

_ "Nee-san said she'd help me with my puzzle today though," Koemi looked towards the religious hooker. "Remember? You said it's important to be one with the God and Goddess. They smile down when we do—." She screamed as her father attacked her. Her body fell against the ground with a sickening thud and she gasped for air. Her head bounced off the corner of the table, her eye burning with pain._

_ "Damn bitch," he snarled, kicking her hard in the ribs. _

_ "ERAI, NO!" _'_Kuroki Hitomi_' _leapt to her feet and tackled him away from the child. The gun in his fist clattered to the ground by Koemi. "SHE'S JUST A CHILD!"_

_ "God damn it," he snarled, rolling on top of her. "You hippie bitches just don't know when to stop, do you?" He pressed his thumbs into her throat. _

_ "It's her destiny," Hitomi rasped, squirming as she suffocated._

_ Koemi let out a sob and reached for the gun. "No Papa," she wailed. "Leave Nee-san alone!"_

_ "Run," the prostitute mouthed._

_ Koemi pointed the gun and shot her frustration at her father._

_ The gunshot echoed through the small apartment. Koemi screamed and clutched her ringing ears, dropping the gun. _

_ Erai turned slowly to face his daughter, scowling heavily. "You…bitch." Blood spurted from the wound in his torso. Slowly, like a giant, he fell to the ground. "You'll…pay…whorelet."_

_ Koemi scrambled to her feet and ran to hide in her closet. Once in the darkness, she stuck her thumb in her mouth and rocked back and forth. Outside, she could hear Hitomi packing her belongings and leaving._

_ The vision for Oliver had gone green, indicating that Erai was dead._

_ Koemi listened to the silence, and the gentle drops of Erai's corpse bleeding out. Hitomi had taught her a song once… "Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream."_

_Koemi crawled out from her hiding spot when she got hungry. "Daddy?" she walked to the corpse and blinked down at it. He stared skywards with dull eyes. She skittered past him and danced into the kitchen, warily snatching a box of cereal and hiding by the couch. She munched the dry food sleepily._

_ A week or so passed with the decomposing corpse. It wasn't till then that Kazumi came to collect his little sister away from the abuse of their father ._

_ "DAD," Kazumi threw open the door to the apartment. "Dad, I'm taking Koem—Holy shit."_

_ Koemi perked at the sound of his voice, and her little feet raced to meet him. She jumped over the corpse to tackle his legs. "Nii-chan!" she sang cheerfully. It was a greeting no different than any other day. "Why are you here?"_

_ "Oh my god," he threw the door open and puked into the hallway. "Oh my god, Koemi, how long has he been like this?" His little sister had a healing black eye and walked with a stiff limp, but she didn't complain._

_ "Last Wednesday." She answered. _

_ "Oh my God," he picked her up. "Oh my god, Koemi." He began to cry. "Oh my God, my sweet, innocent little Koemi." He took her out of the room, and past his vomit. "Oh my pure, sad little Koemi." Tears streaked down his face._

_ "Why are you crying, Nii-chan?" She clumsily wiped them away with her palms. "Did Papa hit you too?"_

_ He collapsed at the bottom of the stairs, clutching Koemi to his chest and stroking her hair. Deep sobs ripped from him._

_ Koemi sent him a perplexed look. "Why are you crying?"_

_ "I'm crying because you had to go through so much pain, Koemi." He stroked her hair out of her face as he cried. "I'm crying because I didn't save you sooner."_

_ Oliver looked up from the bandana. Koemi's face was dark, and Kazumi looked between them in bewilderment. "What just happened there?"_

_ "Kazumi, Naru is capable of psychometry." Koemi murmured. "By touching something that once belonged to someone, he can see what happened to that person, to put simply."_

_ "Really? What did you see?" Kazumi lit up. _

_ Oliver kept his eyes on Koemi's face. "Koemi…"_

_ She clenched her fist and stormed past him. _

_ "Wh-Whoa, where are you going?" Kazumi started after her, but Naru stopped him. "What did you see?"_

_ "Your father." _

_ Kazumi tensed. "You saw how he…"_

_ "Died." Oliver finished the sentence Kazumi dared not say. "Indeed."_

_ "Oh God," Kazumi sat down on the desk. "Koemi doesn't talk about it…I have no idea how she feels, but I know she has nightmares."_

_ "Nightmares? About her father?" Oliver frowned._

_ "She wakes up in the middle of the night screaming. 'No, no, no. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I killed you. I didn't mean it, no, no, no.' She'd cry for our mother to save her."_

_ "I had no idea." Oliver murmured._

_ "She doesn't want you to know," Kazumi said. "She doesn't want pity or sympathy." He sighed. "She wants to be stronger than she really is."_

_ Oliver padded to the park, staring up at Big Ben as he walked. He found Koemi sitting on the bench, shaking visibly._

_ Without speaking, he sat beside her. She tensed and fisted her legs anxiously. _

_ "After I killed him, I never saw her again." Koemi murmured. "I tried looking, but Hitomi was just a street name. She's the reason…She was a Wiccan. A witch. A weaker level one, but she taught me what I know. She gave me her Book of Shadows." Koemi admitted. "The stink of my father was so strong…" Tears filled her eyes. "But he used to beat me…I…I didn't know that pulling the trigger would kill him. I just wanted him to stop…I wanted to hurt him, like he hurt me. I knew that I wasn't supposed to play with the gun, so I just thought that…" She broke off._

_ Oliver drew her into a hug. "It wasn't your fault." He murmured into her hair, feeling her deflate beneath his arms. _

_ "I-It wasn't my fault." She agreed, closing her eyes and leaning against him as thunder cracked in the sky. No rain fell, though. "I didn't mean to."_

* * *

><p>Koemi whimpered and tried to roll onto her side. Lightning streaks of pain ripped through her at the action. "It hurts," she whined. "Mom…"<p>

Voices screamed and wailed all around her. Koemi wrenched open an eye to stare into the sunlight. It burned strongly, blindingly.

A face shadowed it momentarily, chocolate eyes wide with worry. "Koemi-chan," hands prodded her gently. "Where does it hurt."

"Where are the twins?" She asked, her head lolling loosely over her shoulders. "David must have knocked me over again… But where are the twins? Lin said they'd both be back home today."

"What are you talking about?" Takigawa inquired slowly. "Koemi, do you know what happened? Stay awake."

Lin crouched down. "I called for an ambulance. They're on their way."

Naru appeared beside them

Koemi focused on the tall figure, standing slightly in front of the crowd of gathering onlookers. "N-No," she whimpered. He was excruciatingly handsome, with blue eyes like ice and golden honey hair that made a woman's heart melt. "No!" The man smiled, and for a moment his eyes flashed red.

Koemi's eyes fluttered, and all went black.

* * *

><p>Koemi opened her eyes to see Kazumi. Takigawa spoke to him. "We burned the emni, just like Naru wanted."<p>

"You found the culprit?" Koemi croaked.

"No," Takigawa brightened and went to her side. "Koemi, we found an emni with your name on it."

"What?"

"It was found in the manhole Naru and Mai fell into." Takigawa answered.

"THEY FELL INTO A MANHOLE?" Koemi screeched. "HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN ASLEEP?"

"It happened after you were taken to the hospital." Takigawa apologized. "Naru is in the hospital right now, if you want to ask him."

"Where?"

"He was admitted to 503, I believe. Ayako and I are going to visit as soon as she gets here." He smiled.

"W-Why?" Koemi gasped.

Takigawa shrugged. "He just suddenly collapsed."

Koemi somehow paled further than her ghost-like complexion. "Is he okay? What did he do before he collapsed?"

"He fell into a manhole. That was it. One second he was fine, the next he fell out of his chair."

Koemi frowned. "He must have…Oh God, that idiot. He knows better than to…"

Takigawa's phone went off. "Ah! Ayako must be here! I'll see you in a bit, Koemi-chan."

Kazumi looked at her once Takigawa left. "What did he do?"

"I can't be positive on what exactly, but he used his damn powers. They tear him apart when he uses them. It used to be…When he was with Eugene, Oliver only had to use a tiny bit. He'd throw it psychically at Gene, and Gene would amplify it and throw it back. They'd continue until Oliver was satisfied, and then he'd use it for whatever. That way, it didn't tear up his body." Koemi let out an irritated sigh. "He knows better than to do anything without Eugene…"

"He can be pretty stupid." Kazumi complained.

"Yeah, I know." Koemi ripped the IV from her arm. "I hate needles."

"You can be pretty stupid too." Kazumi sighed. "Koemi, what the hell do you think you're doing? You fell out of a second-story window." He examined her irritably. A deep purple-red bruise ran across her eye, and another deeply-colored bruise ran over her chin. More of them mottled her arms and body. Three ribs were broken, and she had a concussion.

"I can't see," she complained. "Kazumi, make the world stop moving. I need to go see Naru."

"Sit back." Kazumi let out another forlorn sigh. "I'll get you a wheelchair, since you're so hell-bent on seeing him."

"Thanks Kazu-nii." She plopped back into the pillows. "The world keeps spinning."

A few moments later, the doctor appeared. "What are you doing?" Alarmed, he began to mess with the equipment.

"My boyfriend was just admitted to the hospital," she explained. "I have to see him so I can yell at him for being stupid."

"Did it cross your mind to ask your _doctor _if you could go?" He inquired.

"You sir, are not my father." She pointed accusingly at him. "Because I am on morphine."

"It was in the IV, yes." The doctor sighed. "But you took that out."

She giggled. "I need to see Oli-chan!"

Kazumi rolled Koemi's wheelchair into the room. "Oh. Hi."

The doctor sighed. "As long as you are accompanied by a nurse, I can't stop you."

Koemi beamed. "Call in Astrid!"

"Astrid?" Kazumi frowned.

"Indeed." Koemi hoisted herself into the chair.

"There are no Astrids, Ko-chan." Kazumi wheeled her out into the hall. "Room 503, right?"

Koemi giggled the entire ride over. "I feel so high now that my brain is trying to recover!"

Kazumi sighed and pushed into the room. "Excuse me."

Lin held the door open for them. "Should she be up?"

"No." The nurse that had followed them stated simply.

Ubusuna-sensei stood a the counter, appearing to fluff the flowers that she had just placed in the vase by the window.

Oliver watched her hands closely until they slipped between the stems. Quickly, he leaned forward. "Lin!"

Lin tore his eyes from Koemi's injuries to rush Kei. He tore the flowers out of the vase, earning a gasp from Ubusuna Kei. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She screamed as Lin sifted through the stems. "GIVE THAT BACK TO ME!"

Lin found whatever he searched for and brought it to Naru. It was an emni with _Kazuya Shibuya _written on it.

"I believe you need a break, Sensei." Oliver closed his eyes.

"What?" She gasped.

"You need physical and mental power to perform a curse, and it seems you're already very tired." He answered, glancing up at her.

"Yes." She agreed quietly. "Perhaps you're right."

Koemi blinked. "Wait, you're the one who summoned a demon to follow me?"

"It was a prank," Kei said simply.

Koemi hid her face in her hands. "I hate when people use power without understanding it's strength. How it affects a person. Nothing pisses me off more. They don't understand demons, or magic. You set a demon on me, _Kei-chan._ He pushed me out a window. That wasn't even the worst part…"

Kazumi frowned. "You were happy like three seconds ago."

"Kazumi…" she clutched the armrest. "It was Papa."

Kazumi froze. "W-What?"

"Papa was the demon. He told me that he's stronger now. He said he's going to kill me."

Takigawa shook his head. "I destroyed all the emni. He isn't in the human world anymore."

"He knows how to get here now, though." She whispered. "And he's only getting stronger. He'll be back. Sooner rather than later."


	6. Ghost in the Park!

Koemi woke in her own bed. Alone. Clothed. Ignoring her broken ribs, she rolled out of her bed. "Ow…" she groaned, padding into the kitchen. The girls were already awake. Ming and Asuka. The twins.

"Auntie K!" They chorused. They were nearly two. They surrounded by blocks and toy cars. Ming looked up at her. "Daddy's sleeping."

"I know baby." Koemi filled the coffee machine with water and threw some ground up beans into a filter. "Daddy is tired." She turned the machine on, but nothing happened. She pressed the button again. It seemed to stare up at her blankly. "Come onnnn." She groaned. She punched the top of it. It didn't respond. As she was about to leave, she saw that it wasn't plugged in. "Great." She drawled as she shoved it into the outlet. Instantly it got to work with making her coffee.

Asuka let out a tortured scream, causing Koemi to flinch violently. "What? What is it?"

Asuka wailed and ran to stand by Koemi, clutching her pants. "Auntie, Kiki ripped and she's bleeding!"

Koemi offered a sigh. "I'll fix her when I finish my coffee, okay?"

"NO!" Asuka screamed. "SHE'LL DIE! JUST LIKE MOMMY DID!"

Koemi spun on her heel . "No baby, she won't. It's okay." She picked up her niece and examined her teddy bear. "It's just a scratch," she promised. "I can give you a bandaid and you can fix her right up."

Asuka wiped her nose as snot dripped on it. "What if she gets infected?"

"How do you even know that word baby girl?"

"Daddy said he was infected by women." Ming broke in, scooting into the kitchen on her behind.

Koemi was interrupted when the phone rang. "Hai?"

Mai's voice reached her. "I need your help!"

"What's wrong?" Koemi frowned. She wasn't close to anyone but Takigawa in the team, but Mai was always with Naru. If Mai needed help, Naru probably did too. "Where are you?"

"Naru won't take a case!" She complained.

Koemi sighed. "Mai, I haven't even had coffee yet. You can't expect me to care about anything he does yet."

"Please!" Mai begged. "You're the only one that can convince him!"

"Why would you say that? He never listens to me." She scowled, pouring herself a steaming cup of joe.

"Uh…" Mai said.

"Great excuse." Koemi dropped in a handful of sugars and settled against the counter.

"Masako!" Mai said suddenly. "It's been a while! How are you?"

"Is Naru here?" The medium inquired softly.

Koemi hung up. "Screw that."

"Yeah!" Ming agreed hotly. "Screw it!"

"No! You didn't hear that!" Koemi took a sip and sighed contentedly as her tongue was scalded off.

"Auntie, can we go to the park?" Asuka inquired, no longer worried about Kiki.

"Only if Auntie can come." Koemi answered.

The twins didn't get it. Koemi sighed. It was stupid anyways.

"Let Auntie get dressed first, okay? You guys need to get ready too."

Ming pointed at the wagon. "Can we take that?"

"Naturally." Koemi agreed. She wandered back to her room and threw on a clean-ish black t-shirt and a pair of shorts. She dressed the girls in matching sundresses and tied their shoes on. "What snacks should I bring?"

"Scooby!" Asuka voted.

"Scooby isn't a snack, goose." Koemi said. "I can bring gummy snacks and some of these weird fruit bars…"

Both girls grimaced.

"Or we can buy junk food at the park." Koemi offered. "Just this once."

They beamed and headed towards the wagon.

_They're so smart…_ Koemi shuddered, setting down a plush blanket for them to sit on before they got in. She grabbed their diaper bag full of whatever they might need and propped it behind Ming. "Ready?"

They bounced in response. "Let's go! Let's go!"

Koemi towed them to the elevator, and down until they reached ground level. "What are you guys gonna do when you get there?"

"Can we play hide and seek?" Asuka asked.

"Hmm. Not this time, bug." Koemi said. "The park is too big. I don't want anyone to scoop you up and walk away!"

"Why?" Asuka blinked innocently.

"Because you're just so cute!" She offered. The air was fresh, regardless of the fumes being produced by the heavy traffic.

She earned disdainful looks from other adults. They probably assumed they were her own. Koemi turned red. It wasn't impossible… Twins ran in Oliver's family, and she and Oliver had…Well, it wasn't impossible.

She crossed the street to the park and yawned. "Where to, girlies?"

"They're precious." A voice commented.

Koemi turned to glance at a woman. "Nightmares," she countered.

"What's your names?" The lady asked.

"I'm Asuka!" Ming volunteered.

"Ming," Koemi corrected with a sigh. "She's a trickster. Her name is Ming."

"I'm Asuka," Asuka said shyly.

"How old are they?" The lady asked.

"This many!" Ming held up all her fingers.

"They turn two next week." Koemi sighed.

"Ah! So old already! They grow up so fast, don't they?" The lady sighed. "I wanted to have children… but I was dating an abusive man. He had a daughter," the lady let out another sigh. "I wish I knew how she were today...I don't think I could Oh. My name is Nakagawa Raiko, by the way." She smiled and extended her hand.

"Ayumu Koemi," Koemi gave her hand a firm shake.

The woman's face morphed into shock, and then into an emotionless mask. "I see. I have to go now."

"Bye," Koemi waved unenthusiastically. "That was bizarre."

Ming clambered out of her wagon. "CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!" She screamed, taking off towards the center of the park.

"MING!" Koemi screeched. "MING GET BACK HERE!"

Asuka followed suit afterwards, taking off before Koemi could start after her.

"NO! YOU GUYS!" Koemi screamed. She sprinted after them. _Fast little mother effers…_ She thought bitterly. "GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!"

She saw a group of people she recognized and screamed. "NARU! GET THEM!"

Takigawa raised his eyebrows at the infants' running away. "Koemi has children?"

"MING! ASUKA! STOP UNNING THIS INSTANCE!" She screamed. "WE ARE NEVER GOING TO THE PARK AGAIN."

Asuka grabbed onto Takigawa. "The mean lady is going to eat us!" She alerted him.

Koemi finally caught up and scooped Ming up. "You drive me so crazy," she snarled.

Ming giggled. "Momma!" She swatted at Koemi's hair.

"You devious little creature," Koemi accused her, shaking her head free of her tiny hands. She took the girl's wrist and pretended to try to eat her hand.

Ming giggled again, squirming happily.

"Are they yours?" Ayako inquired.

"No," Koemi said. "They're my brothers." She sighed. "They love mischief… Anyways, what are you guys doing here?"

"There's a ghost in the park." Mai cheered.

"Reports are that for the last six months, something has been pouring water on couples in the park." Masako agreed. "I asked Naru to check it out." She held onto his arm.

_He definitely owes an explanation for this one._ Koemi decided. "Ah. Sounds interesting. Can't you just sense it though, Hara-san? Why would you need the SPR's help?"

She didn't answer.

"Mhm." Koemi let Takigawa pick up Asuka. "Well, I'll walk with Naru if you need to split up."

"Should you really be here?" Masako inquired.

"It's public property." Koemi pointed out. "And my last name means 'walker'. Makes sense that I'd walk."

Takigawa's face seemed to slowly register something. Hesitantly.

"I wish I didn't have the girls right now." Koemi sighed. "They're hard to deal with all the time."

Takigawa beamed. "I'll take care of Asuka-chan here!" He spun her around.

"She told you her name? Did you ask?" Koemi gasped. "She's so shy though!" She turned to Mai. "Mai, I will pay you to babysit Ming for me. I haven't spoken to Naru since I fell out of the window."

"Do you have anything to say?" Oliver asked.

"Not yet, but I'm sure I will." She said.

"Yo! Ko-chan!" Kazumi appeared. His blond hair was slicked back, and he had cheerful deep blue eyes. "I see you came here with the girls."

"Yeah," she called. "You can have them back. They like abusing me."

"Abuse!" Ming cheered.

"See?" Koemi shook the child in her arms. "Go get Daddy." She set the half-Chinese, half-Japanese child down. Ming raced up to him obediently.

In response, Kazumi scooped her up. "Hello there Gorgeous." He tossed her in the air, much to her squealish delight.

Asuka played absently with Houshou's hair, mesmerized by the golden lockets. "Auntie, are you married?"

"No baby girl." Koemi smiled at the innocence.

"Will you marry me, Auntie?" Asuka asked. "That way, you can never leave me and Ming. And you can play with us forever."

Mai beamed. "That is so cute!"

Masako sighed, linking arms delicately with Naru. "We need to begin investigating."

Kazumi looked between them. "Wait, are you and he fighting again, lil' sis?"

"Again?" Koemi blinked. "Has there been a moment in which we have stopped?"

Kazumi snorted. "A delightful point."

Ayako smiled at him. "I don't believe we've been introduced."

"Ayumu Kazumi," he flashed a heart-melting smile at her.

Koemi scowled. He was a flirt. Just as their father had been. "I'm Ayako Matsuzaki," the priestess smiled back, her lips painted red.

"Split up!" Masako ordered irritably.

"I'd be honored if you joined me." Kazumi offered. "I'm not much of an investigator, but I'll just start spouting nonsense if anything happens. That's what Koemi usually does."

"Oi!" Koemi snapped. "It is _not _nonsense!"

"Yeah okay," Kazumi rolled his eyes. "So mote it be!" He wiggled his free hand sarcastically.

She pointed at him. "How is an action sarcastic?"

"I don't know, you tell me." He offered. "Anyways, Ayako-san, if you would like to join me?"

"Why not," she followed the man and his two daughters.

Takigawa placed his hand on Mai's head. "Let's go, then."

Mai was red with irritation as Masako led Naru away. Koemi blinked and turned to look at John Brown. "Hello."

"H-Hi," he smiled shyly and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "We haven't really spoken before."

"Hmm." She agreed. "Well, my name is Koemi." She offered.

"John Brown." He introduced himself. "Your brother said you're an investigator?"

"Eh." She shrugged, padding beside him as they embarked across the park. "That's more…what's his name's job. Shibuya!" She nodded sharply. "Yep. I'm just a priestess. Kind of like Ayako, I guess. Just a different religion." She let out a cough. "And I tend to be successful.'

John chuckled. "What is it that you are, again?"

"Wiccan. Pagan. Either one is acceptable to me, but I prefer Wicca." She shrugged. "You're a Catholic priest, right?"

"Mmm!" He nodded enthusiastically.

"You're not going to go crazy and try to clear me of my sins, are you?" She inquired suspiciously. "That's happened a lot. Apparently people don't like witches."

"No! Of course not!" He looked chagrined. "So…how long have you known Lin-san?"

She thought about it. "Close to two years, I guess."

The grass was vibrant where they were. Untouched so far. Brightly colored flowers dotted the garden. Koemi grinned and crouched down to examine them. "One of my dearest friends used to love gladiolus."

John let her continue, sensing the drawbacks to the past tense.

"He always told me that. Gladiolus, he'd say. If it wasn't gladiolus, it would be jonquils. I never really thought about it until I was stuck in the spirit dimension. I mean, I'm a witch. I know most flowers, and what they supposedly mean. Their messages. Gladiolus means 'love at first sight'. I used it in a potion once. Jonquil means 'love me, or desire for returned affection.' I felt horrible for not realizing it earlier. He was my best friend. Before I could ever talk to him about it, he was gone. Hit by a car. The saddest thing is that I loved him too. Not the same kind, but love all the same."

John stepped forward when she began to quiver. "He knew you loved him," he promised.

"What if…what if I had stayed? What if I never disappeared? What if I could have kept him home that night? It's not fair. He was so sweet… so nice. He'd never say anything mean." Koemi let out a sad sigh.

John sat down beside her. "What was he like?"

"He was sweet." She repeated. "He was the best damn medium I ever knew. Compared to him, Masako is a whiny droplet of power."

John awkwardly gave her half a hug. "It's okay." He promised.

Koemi sighed again. "I wish I had been the one that died. He deserved life."

"Don't say that!" John ordered, taking her hands and holding them in his own. "You're here for a reason."

Koemi was about to speak before a flurry of water was dumped over their heads. She screeched with shock. "WHAT IS THIS?"

"The ghost in the park," John wiped the liquid out of his eyes and looked around.

Masako and Naru sprinted towards them, hearing Koemi's indignant shout. Masako tensed and fell to the ground.

"Masako!" Mai and Takigawa appeared, also drenched.

Masako stood slowly, her black hair curtaining her face. A tiny giggle made it's way to the onlookers' ears. "He~he~he! Feels good!" She stood suddenly, her hand in front of her face in a rebellious sort of way.

She tilted her head slowly, staring at the group. John, Koemi, Takigawa, Mai and Naru stared back. "He's so cute!" She cuddled up to Oliver. "I always wanted to date someone like this! Just once, when I was still alive." She rubbed her face against his arm affectionately.

John giggled awkwardly. Koemi and Mai bristled slightly. Takigawa snickered and patted them both on the head. "Ladies."

"Good timing." Naru ignored the girl's advancement on him. "Let me ask you something. Are you the one who pours water on the people who come here?"

Tears welled up in her eyes and she dropped to her knees. "That's right." She said mournfully. "I want them to get colds and die!"

"Why is that?" He urged.

She sniffled. "It just pisses me off so, so, so, so, _so,_ much to see them happy while I'm suffering!" She cried

Houshou giggled. "It's funny because it's Masako."

Koemi growled. "You'll be suffering if you pour water on me again."

"Wait, why are you suffering?" Mai asked innocently.

Masako grabbed Mai's hands eagerly. "Do you want to hear it? Really?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Okay then, I'll tell you!" Tears dried on her face, but her eyes glittered hopefully and she smiled. "My heartrending, tear-wrenching tale of love gone wrong!"

She began her tale. "It was here, in this park, that I met _him_. I dropped some stalks of onion from my bag on my way home. He picked them up. Oh, he was so handsome! He said 'you dropped these.'"

"Is this some sort of old fashioned cliché?" Takigawa wondered.

"Fate brought us together!" Masako's face flushed joyously. "After that, we came here for many of our dates. We were so intense that everyone around us was jealous!" her face darkened like a storm cloud. "AND THEN!"

Mai and Takigawa flinched with surprise.

"He…" Tears filled her eyes again. "I caught him with another girl. I waved to him when I saw him…He tainted this beautiful place…"

"He cheated on you?" The monk gasped. "What a jerk!"

"But why water?" Naru asked, regarding to how she always poured _water _on couples in the park.

"I demanded what was happening… and then he poured his bottle of water on my head and told me to shut up." Tears dripped from her eyes.

"That pisses me off!" Mai cried out.

Koemi frowned. "And you didn't punch him in the face?"

"It sure does, doesn't it?" Masako regarded Mai darkly. "I was so shocked and depressed I decided that I'd end my life here, in this beautiful place that holds my beautiful memories."

Ayako and Kazumi appeared behind them.

"You can't mean you committed suicide!" Mai gasped.

Masako gave an irritated sigh. "I tried, but all my attempts failed. A cat made me fall on my way home. I died on the way to the hospital six months ago."

"Six months would match up with what I've heard." John said. Naru nodded in agreement.

"The next thing I knew, I was like this." She sighed again.

"Then why don't you go haunt him directly?" Mai demanded.

"That's not a good thing to do," Koemi hummed. "As much as I think he needs pay back."

"We'd all be better off if a guy like that got shaken up a bit." Ayako disagreed.

"I thought so too, and I did. But…he didn't even listen to me!"

"He must be one incredibly thick man." Houshou crossed his arms.

"So instead of going after him, I decided I'd make other couples in this park meet the same fate!" She gestured with her hand again and drenched Koemi and John.

"I'm going to make you miserable," Koemi snarled.

"This is great!" Masako giggled.

Oliver put a hand on the small of her back, unnoticed by the rest of the group.

"You can't do that!" Mai said. "No matter how sad you are over being dumped, if you do something bad because of a guy like that, you're the one who will be hated. That's not fair!"

"Hey, why are you getting so worked up all of a sudden?" Bou rested a hand on his hip.

"Hated and being hated; I don't like that." Mai said.

Ayako sighed. "She's right. If you keep doing this you'll end up as an earthbound spirit."

"She's right." The monk put his arms behind his head in a leisurely stretch. "You should go to Heaven already."

"There's still time." John pointed out.

"Are you guys ghost nuts?" Masako inquired.

They sweat dropped. "No." Ayako forced a smile. Kazumi snorted.

"You can't be enjoying this situation either." Takigawa offered.

Masako looked down with a slight smile. "Well then, I guess it's my time to say goodbye."

"Wait a second!" Mai protested. "It's true hating someone is bad, but I can't accept you going to Heaven like this! It's not fair that the man doesn't know anything and isn't being punished at all."

"He'll get his in the end." Bou-san assured her.

"Things like that always come back to haunt you." John nodded firmly.

"She's already accepted it." Ayako said.

"Are you sure?" Mai inquired.

Masako was about to nod when she looked up. Her eyes widened. "It's him." She pointed, quivering. "I really do want to teach him a lesson, at least once."

"But he doesn't notice anything you do, right?" Ayako said. "How are you going to do that?"

Koemi grinned. "I have an idea."

* * *

><p>Takigawa walked past the cheat of a man. He stopped about a yard away, turning ever slightly. "Wait. You did something recently to make someone hate you, did you?" His long blonde hair shadowed his eyes.<p>

The man turned to face him as John walked up behind him. "I feel an extremely evil aura around you."

The man spun to face John, catching notice of Ayako as she crossed her arms and stared at him through her hair. "I can see it; the spirit of a woman who died hating you." The words were dark and foreboding.

"Who are you guys?" He shoved his hands in his pockets uncomfortably. "Don't say creepy things like that!"

The monk smiled slightly. "Do you care if you die?"

Ayako mimicked the expression. "They say that the curse of a woman will haunt you for a hundred generations.

"You need to exorcise her as soon as possible." John suggested.

"You've got the wrong guy!" He backed up. "Why do I have to exorcise—?"

Masako stepped in front of him, a water bottle clutched in her hand.

"I-I know you! You're Masako Hara!" He gasped, excited. It was natural that he would recognize the celebrity.

Masako tilted the bottle over his head, her face emotionless. He gasped and fell to the ground, knocking it away. "What are you doi—?" Masako's face shimmered and revealed his ex-lover.

"You look good soaking wet." She commented, looking down her nose at him.

The man screamed, clutching his head with his hands. "SAVE ME!" he begged. "My intentions weren't bad!"

Koemi gently pried Oliver's arms off of her waist and padded towards the meeting area. "They're done."

He sighed irritably and followed, closing his eyes.

"I feel so much better," Masako admitted to them at the benches, sitting down. "Now I don't have any regrets. Thank you so much!" Masako's eyes fluttered and she fell to the side. The spirit left her body and flew skywards.

* * *

><p>"Mai gets the glory on this one." Takigawa decided at the Shibuya office.<p>

"But Masako sure was amazing!" Ayako argued, settling on her couch. "To be possessed that long and not fight it."

Masako blushed. "What did I do?"

"You were all over Naru!" Takigawa said.

The chagrin doubled.

"You kissed him," Ayako added.

"What?" Masako's face was redder than red. Koemi considered naming a new color for her face.

"She did not!" Mai snapped irritably.

She _was_ all over him." Ayako shrugged.

"So I didn't kiss him?" Masako couldn't help but sound slightly disappointed.

The CEO door opened and Naru entered his lobby space. "You're still here? You must have a lot of free time."

"Excuse me for having free time. If I didn't I wouldn't have been able to help your investigation." Ayako leered.

"I did ask for your help, but I can't imagine you have the sprae time to use my office as a coffee shop." He said.

"What? What do you mean?" John and Takigawa restrained her as she moved to attack him.

"Naru, as thanks for today, I would like to take you out to dinner." Masako stood.

"Understood."

Koemi felt a pang of jealousy. Oliver had told her that Masako knew he was Oliver Davis while making love to her. A blush crossed her face at the memory, and she shook her head to force the image out of her head.

"He's actually going?" Mai demanded.

"There is no reason to be surprised." Masako took his arm. "He and I have gone to movies and concerts together many times."

_Damn her. She has no idea that he isn't interested. _"I can't imagine either of you at a concert." She pumped her fist.

"Let's go, Naru." She led him away without addressing Koemi.

"She really is blackmailing him." Takigawa commented. Koemi yawned and curled up in her chair.

"So, what are you?" Takigawa asked Koemi.

"Single." She wiggled her eyebrows playfully and giggled.

He chuckled. "Not what I meant, but good to know."

"Careful." Ayako warned. "Her brother worships her. That was all he talked about when we were walking."

Koemi groaned. "He's so creepy." She addressed the monk's question, feeling herself sink into the fluffy chair. "Hell if I know what I am. I mean, I'm a priestess. I can sometimes switch dimensions. I don't really have that whole thing figured out yet."

"Oh." Takigawa sighed. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I think I'm going to finish my date. Come on, Mai-chan. Let's go see a movie."

Mai nodded. "Okay."

"She's a bit young," Ayako accused him.

"You're just jealous that you don't have a date." Takigawa shrugged.

Ayako smirked. "Not true. I've got John. Isn't that right?" She took him by the arm. "Let's go, John-san!"

"O-Okay." He looked wide-eyed at her as she dragged him out of the room. Mai and Takigawa left as well.

"That didn't take long." Koemi commented bitterly. "I'm the lone wolf. Awooo." Struck with a moment of brilliance, she stormed into Lin's office. "Lin! You're getting out of this stuffy office!"

He sneezed in response.

She peered over his shoulder to read his screen. "He really should learn Japanese at some point."

"It's fine." Lin stated.

"Whatever." She hummed. "Come on!"

* * *

><p><em>Koemi's eyes widened appreciatively. "Familiars," she breathed. <em>

_The man looked down at her with disgust. "What do you think you were doing?"_

_Koemi sensed his hostility and recoiled. "Are you the boy's father?"_

"_No. His name is Lin Koujo." Oliver pushed through the door and widened his eyes at the sight of blood. "Brandon said you needed help."_

_ Koemi wouldn't hear of it. "So, who are you?"_

"_My teacher," Oliver answered for the grown man. "Lin, this is Koemi. We will call her 'Miss Walker'." Naru introduced her. _

_Lin turned to look at her. "Japanese." He commented._

_"Eh?" She said, her eyes narrowing. She had meant to comment on that 'Miss Walker' part, but he distracted her. "So?"_

_"You're country and mine don't get along."_

_"Didn't." She corrected him. "Our countries are fine now."_

_"I don't care to associate myself with Japanese." He replied coldly._

_"You're an idiot." She stated. Lin felt himself grow to respect her. That was what Oliver had said. "Don't hate me because I'm Japanese. What are you, six?"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Holding a grudge against my race because of something in the past. That's ridiculous. I wasn't even alive during the opium war. You shouldn't blame me for my ancestors actions." She crossed her arms and raised her head indignantly. "That's closed-minded and arrogant." _

_He smiled slightly. Very, very slightly. "So it is."_

* * *

><p>Begrudgingly, he allowed her to drag him out. She linked arms with him and led him down the escalator. "So, Lin-san. What's your favorite color."<p>

"I've never thought about it." He answered gruffly.

"Black?" she offered.

He looked down at the ground as they walked, not answering.

"Lin, if you were a flower, you'd be juniper. Protection. Because you're like a guardian." Koemi nodded.

"What would you be?" He didn't seem to care about her answer.

"I try not to judge myself. Though at this point, I'd be a dark crimson rose or perhaps a tea rose." She sighed. "Maybe a blue salvia."

"What do those mean?" He inquired. He wasn't graced with flower fluency.

"Anywhere from I'll always remember, mourning, and I think of you." She said quietly.

Lin awkwardly looked at her as consolingly as he could. "It's okay."

She grinned crookedly. "Lin, it's weird when you try comforting me."

"Hm." He responded.

She chuckled.

"He's happier now that you're back." Lin grunted. "Even if he doesn't show it."

Koemi blushed at her feet at the mention of Oliver. "He does. Trust me."

Lin's eyes widened at the connotation of her words, but he didn't question further.

"Lin…Mai reminds me of Gene."

"She is similar." He agreed. "They would get along well in another lifetime."

Koemi sighed shakily. "But none of this would have happened if he wasn't gone, either. I wouldn't be back, for sure. I wouldn't know Takigawa-san, Ayako-san, Masako-san, Mai-san, John-san, Ming or Asuka if he hadn't of died." Her eyes remained dry. "It makes me feel so guilty."

Lin glanced up at the sky. "A butterfly flaps it's wings…"


	7. Where's Kenji?

Koemi cussed at Kazumi as she sprinted down the street to the church Kazumi and the girls went to. _That bastard_. She steamed, rounding the corner to stare at the beautiful masonry. _It's their birthday today. How dare he put them in a daycare?_

The sounds of playing children drifted towards her as she turned and faced the massive church. "Ming! Asuka!" She called.

Both girls yelled with excitement, sprinting away from the tall figure of Takigawa. "Auntie! Auntie!" They screamed.

She received them and glanced up at Takigawa. "Well hi there."

He winked at her. "How's it going Momma?"

"No comment." She decided. "Ming, Asuka, stay with Takigawa-san while I let Father Toujou know you're going home."

They nodded in unison and sprinted back to him. "Uncle!" They screeched at him.

"No comment." She rubbed her ribcage tenderly. Turned out running was no good when three ribs are broken. No bueno.

She entered the cathedral-like church and found Naru, John and Lin all seated with Father Toujou. "Stick is basically like hide and seek." Toujou informed them, not yet noticing her.

Naru and Lin's backs were to her, but John raised a hand to wave ather. "Ayumu-san."

"Brown-san," she bowed her head politely. "Am I interrupting something?"

Lin turned to face her, but Naru remained facing the priest. "In what ways?"

Father Toujou continued hesitantly, not sure that he should continue in the newcomer's presence.

Koemi padded up and sat beside Naru on the couch. "If you're not ready, then you hit the stick once. If you're ready, you hit it many times."

As if waiting for his description, there was a hollow clanking echoing off the stone building. Father Toujou stood suddenly, gasping slightly. "It seems they've hidden again."

"What's that sound?" Naru asked, his arms crossed stiffly across his chest. To sit so erect and still have his arms crossed… Koemi doubted it was comfortable.

"Haven't you listened? It's obviously Stick." She smacked him.

Father Toujou nodded solemnly, wringing his hands anxiously. "I'm certain the child who was acting strangely this morning has hidden."

Oliver stood. "Let's search for him."

Koemi exited the building with the group and saw all the children outside had stopped playing and were nervously looking around. Even the twins looked frightened.

Oliver noticed Mai by the canal. "Mai," Naru called. "What's wrong?" They padded towards the storage area and looked down on Mai and a young boy.

"Well this kid…" She began.

He turned his head and glanced at them, amazement washing across his youthful features. A huge smile spread and he rushed towards Lin.

"Tannoto!" Toujou gasped.

Lin gaped as the kid grabbed his long coat. "Dad!" He cried out.

"D-Dad?" John repeated.

Lin was genuinely perplexed, the look on his face nearly reducing Koemi to unseemly giggles.

Naru bit back a grimace. "Let's go inside." He hinted. The December air was nippy.

Koemi caught up with him and demanded details. In a near silent voice, he informed her that Kenji was a child who disappeared 39 years ago around Christmas time. He was traumatized when his father left him here to go work, and lost his ability to speak. That's why the other children invented the game Stick. He was playing with the other children when he disappeared. No one had been able to find him.

They reentered the building and Koemi dropped back to speak to Takigawa. "What do you think it is?"

"Looks like possession to me." He shrugged amply.

Mai cried out and pointed at the ceiling. "Bou-san! Koemi-san!"

Both instantly took up defensive positions and followed the track of her finger. Koemi let her heels touch the ground again and tilted her head. "Mistletoe." She stated, straightening out again.

John, Naru and Toujou turned to stare at the two. John chuckled anxiously and Mai shook her head. "You have to kiss now!" She told them. "You walked right under it!"

Koemi frowned and looked up at the ripe plant. "Why?"

"It's tradition," Naru told her calmly. "'The mistletoe is still hung up in farm-houses and kitchens at Christmas, and the young men have the privilege of kissing girls under it, plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked the privilege ceases.'"

"What is that even from?" She scowled.

"Washington Irving. 1820." He turned and continued his journey to the kid's play area indoors.

Takigawa smiled at her sheepishly and bowed from the waist, extending an arm. He pressed his lips to her palm and straightened. "It was my honor, Miss Walker." He padded after the rest of the group.

Mai stared at Koemi with interest. She had frozen in spot, her mouth opening and closing. "What's wrong?" She asked after a minute.

Koemi shook her head to clear the disaster from her mind. He had called her by her English name. Does that mean he knew…or was he making a joke off of the definition? She took off after him.

Mai raised her eyebrows and pursued her until she saw that Lin and Tannoto were playing with Transformers together. Ayako stood with her camera flipped open, grinning evilly at the scene.

Koemi reached Naru and stopped, watching the playing 'family'. "That's adorable." She decided. "Lin, you really ought to consider parenting. You're pretty good at it."

He cast her a dark glare as Tannoto bashed his toy into the one clutched in Lin's pale white hands.

Koemi grabbed Oliver's hand and pulled him into the hallway. "Neh, Naru." She began.

"Find the body" he ordered her before she could propose the exact same

"I was about to say that…" She pouted.

He scowled at her and turned to leave, pausing a moment to look at her over his shoulder. "I trust you won't disappoint me."

Koemi returned the look with an unhappy grimace. "You are such a dick." She informed him.

He offered a tiny grin. "You know that one from experience."

"Yeah." She thought back to all the other times he had been a jerk towards her, and realized that he wasn't talking about that. "Wait what?"

He left her in the hallway, returning to Lin and the others. Koemi blushed scarlet and picked her way back to her brother's apartment. "Damn him."

* * *

><p>At the room, she searched through her own belongings. There was a handful of charged candles and a piece of chalk. Some dried herbs sat in bags in the pantry, but that was the extent of her resources.<p>

With a forlorn sigh she accepted the meager offerings and scooped them into a bag. "Time to work." She said. With a vague smile she remembered the last time she had said that. It hadn't ended well.

She caught a ride back to the church and hummed as she entered. "Forgive me for the blasphemy," she told a crucifix of Jesus cheerily. "I'm about to commit witchcraft in your home, buckaroo."

"Kenji, accept me into your haunting." She said in a low voice. "Accept me into your mind." She carefully drew a pentagram circle around her, settling in the middle of the star. "Accept me into your heart." She moved on to lighting each candle, one for each point of the star. "Accept me into you spirit."

Mai suddenly burst into the room, her eyes wide. She ran towards her and tackled the other girl in a hug.

"KYAAAA!" Koemi screeched, hitting her head on the ground from the force of momentum.

"Kenji!" The others ran into the room. They saw Koemi and frowned. Takigawa grinned. "I was wondering where my little witch had run off to!"

"I'll turn you into a frog if you ever call me that again." She threatened, shoving Mai off of her body. "What is her deal?"

"She's been possessed by Kenji." Oliver entered at his own pace.

"I see." She grabbed both of Mai's hands. "Kenji-kun, you need to open your mind for me."

Mai looked at Lin doubtfully. He clenched his teeth but managed a firm nod.

Instantly images exploded in Koemi's mind. She closed her eyes and concentrated on each vision as it flitted past her eyelids. She concentrated on the images and scents and emotions she was exposed to.

* * *

><p><em>Dad said he would come back…He promised. Next Christmas. He would be back, unlike Momma. When he walked out the door it wouldn't be goodbye. I wouldn't have to see his new home on special occasions. I wouldn't see him on his birthday…or death day. I would see him everyday…not like Momma.<em>

* * *

><p><em>After Momma went to live in the graveyard, Dad was sad. He cried a lot. He even lost his job. After that he couldn't find any work. We were always hungry. He told me he would fix things like Momma would have. That's when we moved to Shibuya. That's when he told me he would come back for me… Once he got a house and food for both of us.<em>

_It made me sad. I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to talk to these people, or be their friends. I didn't want to…So I didn't. The other kids played fun games like hide and seek, but I couldn't play…I had forgotten how to talk. I just wanted my Dad. That was all._

_Father Toujou got me a whistle after we started to play Stick. One blow, I'm not ready, many, I'm ready. I was the best hider! No one could ever find me! No one…not even when I got stuck. _

_I don't know what killed me…hunger or freezing. Maybe the hunger made me freeze.. I would freeze and be concreted in the area forever and ever…Nobody could ever find me…Not when I'm hiding in the sky._

* * *

><p>Mai drew away from Koemi's form who was looking at her with horrified eyes. Mai offered a bright smile and pointed to Lin. "Momma and Dad." She beamed.<p>

Takigawa cocked his eyebrow. "What just happened?"

The lingering loneliness from the memories kept her mouth shut. She shook her head sadly from the influences of Kenji's mind.

"Koemi used a spell to connect memories with Kenji. Chances are she just rifled through his life story and is still processing." Oliver answered in a near-smug voice. He was proud of himself because he didn't have to use a spell. He just needed a belonging of Kenji's for the same effect.

Koemi choked slightly before taking Mai into a massive hug. "You poor thing," she managed.

"What did you see?" Ayako inquired with begrudging interest.

Mai squealed happily. "Momma!"

Father Toujou answered their unspoken questions. "His mother died long before he ever got here. Koemi-san must bear resemblance to her."

Mai skipped to her feet and grabbed both Koemi and Lin's hands. She beamed at both of them and led them to the play room, where she grabbed a piece of construction paper and gladly sketched in crayon.

Masako watched with interest as Koemi accepted the drawing and flashed a bright smile, ruffling Mai's hair. "Wow Kenji-kun! This is really great!" It was a crude depiction of Lin holding Koemi as Kenji drew.

Mai smiled proudly then slowly looked at Lin, tilting her head in a questioning manner. When Lin frowned with confusion Mai looked back at Koemi and then pointedly back at Lin.

"Papa," Koemi addressed Lin. "Could you play with Kenji-kun while I talk to Naru?"

Lin clenched his teeth but did not reject the request.

"That drained a lot of my power." She warned Naru as she took him into the hall.

Naru joined hands with her, playing idly with her fingers. "What did you see?"

"I didn't really see as much as hear. I saw pictures associated with memories. Lin, for instance, is like an exact replica of his father. I am his mother. She died, and his father lost his job because of depression. He came here, and it's not impossible that his dad commit suicide. He didn't show me where he died though. It was heavily guarded for some reason. He said he was in a high place, though."

"I see." Naru drew away from her, crossing his arm for a support so he could finger his chin. "That leaves a lot open."

"He had to be somewhere they didn't smell the rot. A decaying body puts off a powerful odor. If he was anywhere inside they would know." She suggested.

"Somewhere up high, and outside. Near the church, but not so near as to put off a scent." Naru repeated. "I'll tell the others to search the forest. Koemi…" He began but saw her swoon softly. "Lie down."

"Absolutely not." She regained her footing and planted her feet firmly. "I need to help them. I need to help find Kenji."

"Absolutely not." He quoted her. "I'm not losing you again, Ko."

Koemi faltered and dropped to her knees. "I'm a tad lightheaded. Or heavyheaded. I'm not sure…" She fell against Oliver and he lifted her gently. "Oli," she sighed. "I need to take the girls home…"

"You didn't prepare yourself properly for this," he accused her.

She shrugged lightly and mumbled what he assumed was a snippy response, but didn't deny it.

"You're so stupid sometimes…" He sighed. "Father Toujou." He called. "Is there an infirmary where Koemi may rest?"

Toujou nodded and led them to it. Gently, Oliver let Koemi down into a plush bed. "Stupid."

Takigawa and Ayako poked their heads into the room. "Hey, what happened?" The monk asked curiously.

"That spell wore off her energy." Oliver turned on his heel and marched back down to Lin. "It's time to begin looking for Kenji. Koemi said it was somewhere high enough that the rot was concealed."

"Right." Takigawa said resolutely. "That means outside, huh."

Ayako sighed pitifully. "It's so cold out there…"

* * *

><p><em>Koemi opened her eyes and blinked stupidly. "Is this a dream?" She watched as colorful orbs rose to the surface. <em>

"_Koko?" The identical copy of Oliver Davis padded towards her, his skin glowing in the blackness. The only light source was the strange spheres rising upwards longer than eyes could see._

_Koemi blinked again. "Gene-kun?"_

_Eugene helped her to her feet. "What are you doing here? Where's Taniyama-san?"_

"_What do you mean? Where are we?" She felt his familiar skin, a scent different than Oliver's. A smile much softer._

"_This is my place in the Spirit World." He said. "My limbo."_

"_You haven't moved on?" She stared at the way his eyes shimmered warmly._

"_Koemi, I need to tell you something." He grabbed her hand anxiously. "I'm not…"_

* * *

><p>"Koemi? Koemi?" Mai's voice woke her. "Naru! Koemi's gone!"<p> 


	8. Stolas and Sitri

_ "I'm not…" _Koemi repeated in her head as she stared at Mai. "I'm right here."

Oliver burst into the room with the others. "Koemi," he called softly.

"I'm _right here_." She repeated, sitting up. The covers that had once blanketed her didn't move. They remained on the bed. "_Shit._"

Takigawa looked around blankly. "Where did she go?"

"She must have changed worlds again." Oliver concealed his panic at the idea. "Koemi, I need you to listen. Stay with me."

Koemi concentrated as hard as she could on her hand. _Feel the skin sew together and the material solidify. _Her hand glowed a bright blue that only she could see and she pushed the covers.

Mai screeched. "_Did you see that_?" She yelled.

Oliver put a hand on her shoulder. "It is just Koemi."

She nodded and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. "H-How does she do that?"

"Maybe she's a demigod." Takigawa volunteered.

"Whatever the case." Oliver turned. "We should head back to base."

"Case…Base…" Mai cocked her head slowly. "That's funny! I get it!"

Koemi shook her head and followed the group as they left. _Stuck in this damn world again…_She sighed heavily. She went up to Takigawa and mimed leaning on him. "Hi." She stated. He didn't notice her. "My name is Koemi Walker and I'm a Wiccan. My boyfriend there, Oliver, is a renowned PK-ST user and a highly powerful psychometry user. Yep. He's my partner. Oh, and he's a doctor." She stuck her tongue out at him.

Takigawa cocked his head. "I wonder what happens if we make Koemi mad in this spiritual state."

Oliver cast him a curious look.

Takigawa grinned. "Koemi-chan is so cute when she's mad. Especially when she wears those skirts that show off her legs!"

Koemi stared at him blankly. "That's random."

Mai voiced what Koemi said, not hearing her.

There was a powerful tug on her soul. It nearly made her scream from the force. Her consciousness felt like it was splitting in the effort to stay where she was, but the tug was so powerful that she felt herself starting to be dragged towards it.

Mai shivered. The air crackled at some unseen battle. Even Oliver stopped, feeling the spike in energy.

Koemi screeched furiously as she turned her head. A vortex formed beside her. This was what happened when she was dragged to the mansion. Now she was being summoned elsewhere?

Lin gasped as the presence disappeared completely. Everything went normal. Somehow, he sensed that Koemi was no longer beside them. "Naru…"

"I know." He narrowed his eyes.

* * *

><p>Koemi looked around blankly. The ride here had been a blink long, and then she found herself in a boys' lavatory. Three boys were gathered there. "Holy shit." One of them breathed. "Do you feel that? There's totally a ghost in here!" He shoved his glasses up his face eagerly.<p>

The taller out of the three calmly surveyed them, glasses flashing. "Stay calm. Ghosts feed on negative energy."

Koemi snorted. "I'll show you negative."

She turned her head to see a raven cock it's head at her quizzically.

She glanced at the boys and back at the bird. _They can't see it?_

The bird clacked it's beak at her and slowly morphed into an owl. An owl with chopstick-sized legs. Koemi flinched away from it with sudden recognition. "Holy shit."

It let out a sigh. "The words of a philosopher."

"They summoned a _demon_?" She gasped nervously. "A prince nonetheless. Prince Stolas, I beg you to forgive them…They surely did this by accident."

His head tilted. "You know of me?"

She scratched her head sheepishly. "Your one of the few demons I remember from the book I had to read in my coven."

He raised his eyebrows…feathers…"Coven? You speak of the Wicca religion, I presume."

With a nod, she raised her hand out to him until he brought out a wing to meet it. "My name is Ayumu Koemi. I work for the SPR and come from a coven in Okinawa."

"Interesting. You are no longer part of this coven?" He clucked.

"Correct. I am not."

"Do you hear that?!" The fat one screeched.

"Shush!" Koemi shouted at him.

Stolas began to grow and formed a tall young man, maybe Takigawa's age. He had bright blue eyes, the awkward in between of both Koemi's and Oliver's. His hair was black and kept in a mess of curls. "You are not a soul." He informed her quizzically.

"Also true." She cast him a sidelong glance. "It's just that my body and soul are torn apart sometimes. Or something. My body transfers to the spirit world. I don't know…"

He padded towards her and felt her shoulder quizzically. "You're alive still."

She nodded. "That I am."

"Let me help you." He ordered.

She blinked at him curiously as he waved a baggy beneath her nose. After that he let out a low chant and shoved her shoulders so hard she fell.

"Kyaaa!" She wailed, twisting midair to catch herself on her elbows. "What did you just do?!" She looked up and saw nothing but the three boys.

"WHAAAA!" Fatso screamed.

Stolas appeared in the shadows. "How do you fare?"

Koemi bounced to her feet and peeked around him. "What did you do?"

"I fused your soul with a mix of black snake root and angelica. They strengthened your power and I was able to return you to the physical world."

"I see…I should start carrying those around my neck." She sighed. "This is the second time it's happened to me."

Stolas stared at her with some interest.

"Thank you, Prince." She curtsied awkwardly. She turned back to the three students. "If you'd be so kind as to tell me where I've been summoned to?" She glared at them each slowly.

"D-D-DEMON!" And then there were two.

She bared her teeth.

"R-Rokuryo High School…"

"I see. Never do any of that again." She waved her finger threateningly at the Ouiji Board they had.

"YES MA'AM!"

* * *

><p>Koemi led them down a hall. Stolas trailed after her. "We have been lost for an hour." He informed her.<p>

"I'm not lost." She retorted.

"It's dark outside." He glanced over his shoulder.

"I know that!" She snapped.

"If you would allow me—."

"I know what I'm doing." She stamped her foot.

An eerie quiet fell over them. Stolas froze and snatched her arm, pulling her into his chest. "There are spirits everywhere." He hissed.

Koemi squirmed. "I can't breathe!" she gasped.

"There are many spirits trapped here." He put his hand on her head in an attempt to comfort her.

"No offense, Prince, but I really hate having my bubble popped." She tread lightly over the subject.

"Shh."

"Are you ghosts?" A friendly voice teased from behind them.

Stolas turned his head similar to how an owl might and examined him. He had glasses and a Rokuryo High School uniform. "Human, we require assistance leaving this establishment."

He raised his eyebrows. "I can take you to the Boss man." He turned and padded lightly back up the hallway.

Stolas scooped Koemi into his arms and followed after.

"What are you _doing_?" She hissed. "I can walk!"

"Shh."

Koemi crossed her arms over her chest and kicked her legs.

"Look what I've found." The boy led them into a room. The lights flicked on and someone rubbed their eyes sleepily.

Koemi suppressed her joy when she looked at the faces. Takigawa, John, Lin and Naru all looked up at her. "Hi there."

Stolas peered down at her. "Your heart rate appears to have picked up."

Koemi looked into his eyes pleadingly. "Set me down now, please?"

He let her feet touch the ground and she instantly strode to plop beside Takigawa. "Houshou-kun!" She patted his head. "It's good to see you!"

There was a pop. "Prince Stolas, I thought tonight was poker night." An excruciatingly handsome man sneered at Stolas. "Unless you're afraid you'll lose. Again."

"Prince Sitri." Stolas bowed his head respectfully. "I am preoccupied as of the moment. You may proceed without my presence."

Sitri looked around, surveying the humans. "Miss," he bowed deeply to Koemi, taking her hand and pressing his lips to it. "It has been years since I have met a demigod as beautiful as yourself."

"B-Beautiful?" Koemi flustered. Oliver gave them a glare.

Takigawa and John frowned. "Demons." John scowled slightly. "Ayumu-san seems to have attracted demons into the school."

"Wait." Koemi repeated what he said in her head a few times. "Demigod?"

Sitri's lips curled in a curdled smirk. "Oh you didn't know?" He put a hand over his lips. "Oops!"

Stolas sighed heavily. "Please return to the stronghold. I will join you shortly."

"Wait." Koemi grabbed Sitri's arm. "I want for you to explain that to me."

Sitri's smile curdled further. "I expect payment for my secrets." He glanced up at Oliver.

Takigawa stood and began to lead Koemi out by the shoulder. "Koemi, I'm going to take you back over to where the girls are staying."

John wielded his bible and stood as well. "I'll take care of th—."

Sitri flicked his finger at John and he flew back against the wall with a crack.

Lin and Oliver jumped to their feet, preparing to attack.

Koemi jerked away and ran at Oliver. "Don't." She pushed him against the wall beside John. "Don't even _think _about it."

Sitri raised his eyebrows. "She really has no idea," he told Stolas. "And the gods must not know about her either, or I'm sure one of them would have taken her as wife by now." He licked his lips. "Demigods are so rare. So deliciously rare."

Oliver clenched his fists, glaring at Sitri subtly.

Sitri chuckled hungrily. "Oh this is far more interesting that poker night."

Oliver shoved past her and into the hallway. "I'm going to take measurements." Takigawa glared at Sitri and grabbed Koemi's hand to drag her out. "Bed time." He interrupted her before she could speak. "We'll talk about this in the morning."


	9. Sitri

"_Is Gene mad at me?"_

_ Oliver snorted. "I think that would be impossible."_

_ "Would he be if he knew we were doing this?" She asked. Streetlights reflected off the wet pavement like silver globes as they walked. _

_ "No." Oliver reached behind her and took her hand and gave a reassuring squeeze. "He'd be mad at me for not telling him, but he wouldn't blame you."_

_ "We should tell him if we're going to keep going out like this." She informed him stubbornly as they passed by a streetlamp. "It's not fair to lie and hide."_

_ He stopped and scowled at her. "Why are we even talking about him right now? It's _our _date."_

_She was pulled to a stop due to their joined hands. "Are you jealous?"_

_ "Of course not." His scowl deepened before he drew her into his arms. "I just want you to think about other things instead." He tugged her chin to his face and kissed her heatedly. His free hand caressed the back of her neck down to her lower back. It dropped lower yet, to her surprise._

_ "Oliver! Stop it! I'm trying to talk to you." She shoved at him. "You dolt."_

_ He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, enjoying the feeling of her hands pressed against his chest like they were._

_A car slowed on the street, the window rolling down. "Noll! Koemi!" Eugene called, waving his hand. "What are you guys doing?"_

_ Oliver leaned down and kissed her again, pretending not to hear his brother. Koemi's eyes widened._ This is how he chooses to enlighten his brother?!

_His arms snaked around her waist, almost as if answering her silent inquisition. He took her bruised wrist and brought it to his lips, looking into her eyes steadily. "You look beautiful tonight."_

Koemi flushed and glared at him. "This _is your bright idea?" She hissed._ This_ is how you tell your brother we're seeing each other?!" She smacked his chest. "You_ dolt. _You complete bloody_ git!"

_He took a long breath and smirked down at her. "Calm down." His lips came in contact with hers again and he nipped at her playfully. "It is what it is, and what he thinks won't change a thing."_

_ "Sometimes I hate you."_

_ He snorted. "Yeah, okay."_

* * *

><p>Koemi was up with the sun in the morning, bouncing to life. "Good morning, all!"<p>

Mai rubbed her eyes groggily. "Why are you so cheerful?"

Ayako looked between the two, sitting up with a yawn. "Look who's talking."

Koemi rolled her shoulders and trotted out to the hallway. "GOOOOOOD MORNING!" She screamed.

Takigawa groaned in the small equipment room they were crammed into. There were six of them all sleeping in there. Thank God Yasuhara hadn't stayed the night. "Why is she already awake?"

Oliver sighed and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. She did this every morning. "She doesn't particularly enjoy sleeping." He imparted.

Sitri and Stolas jumped to their feet. "I'm going to go see her." Stolas informed them, reaching the door.

Sitri followed close after. "Let's go mess with the demigod!"

Oliver patiently counted in his head. Exactly 6 seconds later, Koemi let out a furious screech, and one of the doors slammed closed.

Koemi held the sliding door in place best she could, jamming her fingers in the handle to hold it firm.

Sitri let out a delighted squall and suddenly popped by her. "I'm a demon! Remember? Mere human doors shan't keep me out!"

Stolas joined them. "Please forgive my friend…"

Sitri snapped his fingers and Koemi turned towards him, her brain losing function. At a silent command, she began unbuttoning the top buttons to Oliver's shirt. She had stolen it from his dresser and worn it to the church. How long ago that seemed…

Sitri beamed ghoulishly. "I prefer virgins, but a demigod is a whole level more meaningful. I suppose it will do."

Stolas stepped in front of her and waved herbs beneath her nose. "I will not allow you to cause mayhem on this human." He informed the other prince.

Sitri's expression darkened. "I am of the greater power." He growled. "Remember I have a stronger force behind me."

Stolas ignored the threat. "You will not view or touch her bared body in any way."

Koemi blinked the demoncraft out of her eyes and looked between them. "Is it breakfast time yet?

Sitri tipped his head. "It appears a medium has entered the hold."

Koemi frowned at him in confusion. "Hold?"

"It's similar to a stronghold, but nothing human can be strong." He smiled at her sweetly. "I'm sure your body is far stronger than that of a mere mortal, though." He worked his fingers. "What I would give to try you out…"

Koemi bared her teeth at him. "Perv." She turned and retreated to the headquarters. "Naru! Naru! Naru! Naru!" He appeared outside the door, closing it behind him. Everyone but Mai left in different directions, and Lin and Yasuhara accompanied Oliver.

Lin immediately was on his way to the first place he wanted to investigate, not giving Yasuhara time to peek on Oliver as he strode to Koemi. In three long steps he had her pinned underneath him to a wall.

"Whoa there, cowboy." She protested. "PDA is never—."

He took advantage of her parted lips, pressing his own against them and sliding his tongue into her mouth. He smirked slightly as she shrank into the wall. All bark, no bite. She didn't even fight him as he ravaged her lips.

He pulled back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand to break the trail of saliva still connecting their lips.

"For a doctor and highly respected researcher, you are a horny bastard." She accused him.

He took off briskly down the hallway, searching for Lin.

Koemi pursued quickly. "So what's up with this place?"

"An unusual amount of paranormal activity." He answered simply. "The students here perform Ouiji summoning by something they call Orikiri-sama. It's meant to summon gods, whereas in they claim Ouiji is solely fox spirits."

"Okay…" Koemi thought it over. "How many have done this?"

"The entire student body. It's likely they've done it multiple times each." He closed his eyes irritably. "Mai has located most of the bigger spirits for us. Several will-o-wisps are on the ground."

"Wow. Mai has?" Koemi put her hand on her hip. "That's pretty good. How?"

"She says she saw them in a dream." They turned and heard Yasuhara's voice bouncing out of a classroom.

Koemi cradled her chin between her thumb and her finger, resting her elbows on her torso as she thought. "This…doesn't help me." She straightened and returned her hands to her hips, looking up at the ceiling. _But Mai has no idea what the technical terms are. How could she figure it out in a dream?_

Oliver slid the door open and made his entrance in the first room.

Koemi bounced after him. "Neh, O—Ahhhhahaha, Naru." She mentally slapped herself. "Can I perform a ritual?"

"You don't have enough power." He said simply, looking at Lin's checklist.

She shook her head. "I do, I do. I promise."

Oliver sent her an annoyed look. "You will not exert yourself in any way on this case."

Koemi scowled at him. "Yes, I will."

He didn't answer as the door was flung—rather—slid hastily—open. "Koemi-sama, Prince Sitri is harassing the female students." Stolas informed her, bowing on his knees by the door.

Koemi slapped her forehead and began her jog down the hallway to Sitri.

Oliver returned to checking the status on the room. Yasuhara examined him curiously. "Do you like her, Naru?"

No answer.

Of course he liked her. She was hard not to. Even though she had a mean streak and even though she came across as cold and uncaring, she had a good heart. It helped that she didn't look bad, but that wasn't why he liked her. It was like she was part of him. Like somehow, fate had carved her specifically for his heart, a piece that fit perfectly.

That's why he was frustrated at her. First she was hanging out with demons. He recognized the name Sitri, and he didn't like the fact that he had taken interest in Koemi. Of all people, she had the worst luck.

Yasuhara smiled to himself, answering his own question.

And so they moved on, wondering what Koemi was up to.

* * *

><p>"Sitri," she growled. "You need to leave now."<p>

He stalked towards her, abandoning the naked teen on the ground as he zipped his pants. "I don't see why."

Koemi accepted a jacket from Stolas and approached her. "Shh, you'll be okay." She promised, setting the jacket down and covering her.

A smile spread across Sitri's lips, and suddenly the girl's arms reached up and caught Koemi around the neck. Koemi jerked away but the girl was stronger as she flipped Koemi beneath her and forcefully pressed her lips again Koemi's face.

Koemi let out a furious screech, but refused to part her lips.

Stolas lunged towards them, but at Sitri's snap, three of his legion demons stopped Stolas. "Remember who you are up against, Cousin."

"I am not your cousin." Stolas spat. "You torture humans!"

Koemi cried out with pain as the girl held her wrists down using her sharp knees. The girl's hands found Koemi's chest, and Koemi squirmed to try and get away. "Stop! KAZUYAA—." A tongue down her throat cut her off.

Sitri stroked himself with a smirk.

Within seconds, three streaks of light came from Lin. They attacked Sitri viciously.

Sitri's concentration broke, and the girl blinked down at Koemi. "W-What?!"

Koemi shoved her off and scrambled to hide beside Stolas. He took her into a protective hug and let Lin drive Sitri away.

"Are you alright?" Oliver ignored Stolas and padded to stare into Koemi's eyes.

"I just got molested by a girl." She shuddered and allowed Stolas to pat her back comfortingly.

Sitri popped beside her and wrenched her away from Stolas and Oliver, his face bulging with anger. "I'll be damned if I don—."

Koemi decked him the face. "Ohhh!" She gasped, shaking her fist. "That really hurt…"

"Koemi, go back to base now." Oliver stated in a cold voice.

She massaged her knuckles sorely and examined him curiously. "Why?"

"Go." He gave her a look so harsh that she scurried off obediently.

She entered the base and found Yasuhara, John, Takigawa and Mai. "Hi there."

Takigawa looked at her. "Mai had a dream that the fox fire in the locker room moved to the announcement room."

Koemi settled at the table. "I'm curious. Mai, why do you know what these things are called?"

Mai flushed red and shrugged anxiously.

"Leave," she ordered the others.

"Why?" Takigawa asked.

"Girl to girl talk is about to commence." She bared her teeth in a vicious smile. "Mai I really like your hair today," she propped her face in her hands. "Gosh! I was on my period—."

"Point taken." Takigawa sighed, and the males shuffled out.

Mai blinked at her. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"Tell me who's been in your dreams." Koemi ordered, stony faced.

Mai flushed once again and looked at her hands. "N-Naru told me about the fox fires."

Koemi gnawed her lip in thought. "What do you mean?"

"It's Naru." She fought her embarrassment and looked up at Koemi seriously. "It really is. He told me it's not safe here anymore, and that I should leave."

Koemi nodded and frowned, fiddling with an EVP recorder. _Naru is clairvoyant. Eugene…?_ "Mai, will you do me a very important favor?"

Mai blinked at her.

"When you see Naru in your next dream, tell we need to talk."

"Why?"

"Just do it." Koemi sighed. "Please."

"Okay…" Mai sighed, closing her eyes.

_Now. _Koemi thought to herself. _To wait for the fire._


	10. Changing Worlds

_Oliver pressed against her eagerly, his lips devouring her soft skin. "Koemi," he pulled her onto his bed and bit gently at the exposed skin by her collarbone. Without wasting time, he straddled her and began unbuttoning his shirt that she wore._

_ Koemi grabbed his hands and held them with her own. "No, Noll."_

_ He returned to kissing her, but it didn't take long before he was trying to get her pants off._

_ "Oliver. No." She brought his hands back up, and he jerked them free and fondled her breasts through her shirt. "Stop." She pulled away from him, sitting up. "You're going too far."_

_ Oliver ran his fingers through his hair, obviously flustered. "I want you."_

_ "Well too bad. I'm not going to do that yet. I'm a Wiccan, and I'm loyal to my Goddess."_

_ He sat in front of her and took her legs over his shoulders. "You're saying that I don't turn you on." He stated._

_ Koemi blushed, glaring at him. "I didn't say that."_

_ "So you are?" He ran the tip of his finger down the stitch between her legs._

_ A shiver went through her and he smirked. "Let me."_

_ She scowled at him. "I can't stretch my legs any further than this, so you're going to have to back up."_

_ "Then it's fate." He took them away from her shoulders, but remained between them as he leaned forward and kissed her heatedly. In a quiet voice, he added, "I want every inch of you."_

_ Koemi moaned as he grinded into her. "Oliver…"_

_ His fingers returned to her buttons and she let out an irritated growl. "Enough." She rolled away from him, sitting up on the end of the bed. "I said no."_

_ Oliver sat behind her, throwing his legs on either side. He hugged her. "If I say I'm sorry, can we continue?"_

_ "No."_

_ He unbuttoned the last few buttons from behind her and kissed her neck. "We won't go all the way. I promise."_

_ Koemi sighed as his hands traveled up her body, leaning against him and joining her hands behind his neck. "I don't know…"_

_ There came three sharp knocks at the door. "Noll, Koko?" Eugene's voice rang. "Are you two in there?" Without any further prompting, he opened the door and looked in. "Ah!" He hid his eyes at the sight of Koemi's skin. "I just…I just wanted to know if you two wanted tea."_

* * *

><p>Koemi covered her mouth to stifle her giggles. Takigawa sent her a dark glare. "Why are you awake?" He growled.<p>

"It's already four thirty A.M." She retorted. "It's the morning." She clicked on the next link. "You guys should be ready to wake up by now. Anything could happen."

"Absolutely." Takigawa said sarcastically, rolling over and covering his head.

Koemi gnawed her lip and returned to the monitor window, watching the screens flick by from the different cameras positioned in the school. She blinked as it paused on the Announcement room. The temperature was roughly eight degrees lower than the rest of the school.

The clock's hand changed to four thirty-two, and flames suddenly graced the room.

"Kazuya." Koemi barked, spinning in her chair. "Fire."

He sluggishly jumped to his feet and looked over his shoulder. "Bou." He ordered.

The monk mumbled angrily but grabbed the fire extinguisher from the table and ran towards the flaming room.

The others quickly pursued, and Koemi went to rouse the women. "Fire! Fire!" She chanted, slamming the door open. "Guess what, Mai. It's in the Announcement room."

In no time, everyone was down surveying the damage. Takigawa looked around. "This is much more than we've heard of before. It did more than scorch the walls."

Yasuhara agreed. "Yeah, I've never seen it this bad before."

Naru broke from his thinking stance to question Mai. "Where are the other fox fires supposed to be?"

Mai held her finger to her lips thoughtfully. "Let's see…The Printing room, the Language Lab and the Nurse's office were the bigger ones. But…"

"But what?" Naru inquired.

"The chances that I know are pretty slim, right?" She asked him as he turned away.

"I'm not counting on you all that much." He informed her.

"I didn't expect you to!" She snapped.

Takigawa tossed his head and noticed the camera. Extinguisher fluid covered it. "I've got some bad news for you, Naru. Looks like your camera here is toast."

Naru looked over his shoulder to examine it. "Oh that's alright. Insurance covers it."

A look of befuddlement crossed Mai's face. "Wait what?" And then she was blatantly suspicious. "Naru." He turned his head to look at her. "Remember when you asked me to be your assistant because I could never afford to pay you back for the camera I broke?" He faced her completely now. "Did you tell me that just so you could get some free help out of me? Promise me you'll tell me the truth."

He padded towards her and stopped, laying his hand on her shoulder with a smile. "You're getting smarter and smarter everyday."

Koemi snorted as he left the room. Mai fumed and took off after him, just for Takigawa to restrain her. "Mai, he's not worth it!"

"How _dare _you trick me! Naru!"

* * *

><p>Koemi walked beside Mai as they walked through the school later that morning, when class was in session. Mai vented to her. "I can't believe he tricked me like that!" She complained. "The least he could do is be honest!"<p>

Koemi nodded.

"Though…he did give me a really cool job…"

"Hey. You." An old man stopped the pair. "Are you people done yet?"

Koemi spun to survey him. Definitely a teacher.

"I heard there was another fire this morning. I guess your silly little exorcisms didn't take."

"Well, sir." Mai began.

"The problem with you people is the only place ghosts exist is in your imaginations. You exploit weak minded people to earn a buck."

"Excuse me sir, but I really need to get back to work now." Mai bowed politely, worrying about Koemi's temper more than anything. She turned and began to walk again.

"Would you like to know what happens to those who ignore their studies by wasting their time with this occult business? It happened to a student of ours."

"Sir." Koemi stepped forward, a smile on her face. "My name is Ayumu Koemi. I'm sixteen years old and I am studying at Cambridge University as soon as I get back home. I waste my precious time solving problems that belong to people like you. People who get clumsy and open gateways for treacherous spirits."

"Why I—."

"If you'll excuse me, I prefer not to waste time on senseless banter." She continued to follow the tug she had earlier felt and entered a classroom, leaving Mai and the teacher fellow behind.

Everything looked normal, aside from a rank stink that had some students doubled over. Koemi bowed to the teacher. "Don't mind me."

He continued his lesson, the stench only growing stronger. A mist drifted lazily across the floor, and a purple aura began to form.

The tug Koemi had felt strengthened and with a pop, she was shoved through the wall of jelly separating the worlds.

At the same moment, a huge dog appeared. Drool dripped from it's teeth as it picked up a desk and hurled it at the wall. The students began to scream, panic fueling the chaos.

She didn't even hear as the door opened and the others appeared. Within seconds, the classroom was destroyed and the dog was gone. "I've never encountered a spirit like that before. It was as if it was a physical substance."

"Excuse me." Oliver looked back at the teacher. "Excuse me, Matsuyama!"

The dumbfounded teacher looked back at him. "Huh…"

"You need to call an ambulance. We have some injured students here."

"So was that the same dog we had a run in with yesterday?" Mai asked curiously, forgetting that Koemi had come in here.

"If it was, then it's grown since we saw it last." Takigawa said.

"If it has it's been getting stronger." Oliver stated.

Masako explored the room for about three seconds before collapsing with a slight moan.

"Masako!" Mai ran towards her just to meet the same fate.

The teacher stumbled towards the group. "There was a girl! There was one! She disappeared at the same time the dog came! I think…I think it ate her!"

Oliver's eyes widened. _Koemi._

"Are you two okay?" Takigawa concentrated at the task at hand. "What happened?" He inquired as they began to move again. "You two just fainted. It scared us."

"I take it you saw it too." Mai said.

Masako wiped away her tears. "Yes. Sakauchi is gone. He disappeared."

* * *

><p>Mai told them of the vision at base. Masako confirmed. "It's exactly how she put it. The spirits have begun to consume each other."<p>

Ayako rested her chin on her hand, playing over the words. "Hold on, so you mean that any spirit we drive out isn't being exorcised, it's just fleeing to a different location where it's eaten by another bigger spirit?"

John added on. "And then the spirits that cannibalize the others become stronger. It's quite frightening."

Koemi noticed Mai's face and felt guilty. She looked frightened.

"So what do you think we should do?" Takigawa asked Oliver.

His elbows were propped on the table, and his fingers were locked by his chest. "It may be wise to hold off on the exorcisms for now. There's no telling what might happen if they run off this time."

Yasuhara entered the room. "Umm, excuse me. I heard something that was a little disturbing."

"And what's that?" Oliver prompted him.

Yasuhara continued. "I traced back to the first use of Orikiri-sama in the school. My conversation with Mai got me thinking." He flipped open the book in his hand. "The Orikiri-sama fad started shortly after the second semester. There were two groups, the freshman class and the art club. It seems they both started using it at the same time." He closed it again. "But there's more to it than that, and unfortunately it's worse. Not only was Sakauchi a member of the art club, but he was also a freshman at the time. Now I'm not drawing any conclusions from this, but it is interesting. It definitely seems like it could be relevant."

Oliver held his chin on his still locked fingers. "Although it's an interesting development, it doesn't change the fact that the practice spread through the school. Countless séances took place. Spirits were summoned as a direct result. However, there's still a piece missing. Something nefarious is happening in this school. Regardless of how many spirits were summoned, I seriously doubt amateurs could summon this many. So…this is a tough one."

Koemi sighed and sat beside him.

* * *

><p>Night fell and Naru sent Mai out alone to get a tape out of a biology classroom. "All I need to do is go in and get the tape!" Mai told herself resolutely, thus ending what must have been an internal argument.<p>

Koemi followed her in, trying in vain to walk on the ground. It was kind of like trying to walk on the bottom of a pool. So much easier to float.

Mai entered the classroom and opened the side of the camera where the tape was, trying in vain to get it out.

Koemi sighed and continued trying to plant her feet on the ground as Mai went. The lights suddenly flicked off without any warning. Koemi sighed again, and noticed that even Mai's flashlight had gone out. "Shit." She said, hearing Mai gasp.

Mai nervously surveyed the room and calmly returned to the door, trying to pull it open. "Come on door!" She struggled. "Open already! There isn't even a lock on this thing!"

There was a knock and giggles at the window, and Mai pressed her back to the door to look at them. Mai shrank in further and Koemi protectively stepped forward. "None shall pass me, none shall evil be, none shall pass me, none shall harmful be, none shall pass me, so mote it be." She looked into the skeletal faces. The desks began to tremble, followed by the shelves. "Oh hell no."

Jars preserving different animals quivered and fell to crash on the ground. Mai plugged her ears and closed her eyes. Formaldehyde seeped to her feet, escaping the broken jars.

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!" She screamed turning and banging on the door. "SOMEBODY LET ME OUT! SOMEBODY HELP ME! Please…" her face grew long with the drug, and she fell to the floor.

Koemi protectively crouched above her, baring her teeth at the oncoming spirits. "Don't dream of it," she snarled. "Don't even try."

Stolas appeared beside her. "Having fun?"

"No." She looked up at him. "Hey, where did you go?"

"Your diviner friend banished us." He shrugged. "It's easy to get back up. I see you got stuck back in this world again."

She returned the shrug with her own. "Yes, yes I did."

"Well, once your friend is safe, I'll show you how to get through."

"Really?"

"I swear it upon my honor."

And so it happened that Oliver came and collected Mai. Koemi remained by Stolas, floating after him as he padded forward. "Visualize a wall separating the worlds." He commanded. "Right now, you do not keep them separate in your mind. You need to do that now. There is no gate for our kind. Just a wall. It is not solid, like you may imagine. Imagine a solid, liquid substence."

"Jelly?" She asked.

"I suppose." He eyed her inquisitively. "When you visualize that, you put your hands like this." He joined his palms together in front of him like he was about to pray, then faced his fingers away from his chest. Almost like a diver, he took a step forward and slowly parted them. As he did this, a wall formed in front of him. It parted at his hands, and he stepped through.

Like that, his physical form appeared. He was solid and visible. "Now you try."

Koemi slowly mimicked him. At the end of it, the wall slammed shut and threw her backwards.

Stolas coughed to cover up his laugh. "I've never seen that happen before. Next time, do it with more confidence, and move quick."

Koemi tried again. It didn't work.

Hours passed of the same repetition, until finally she managed it. The sun had risen and was falling again by the time she finally achieved change.

She did it four more times, and then Stolas stopped her. "Here. I want you to wear this." Around her neck, he fastened a leather string. Attached was a fragrant pouch.

She touched her delicately and blinked up at him. "What is it?"

"Just a homemade concoction to brighten your life." He smiled brightly at her.

"Herbs?"

"The very best. Althaea root, asafetida powder, balm of gilead budss, barberry, bay leaf, boldo leaf…" A slier sort of smile crossed his face. "Catnip. Chaney root, cherry bark, cinnamon chips, cubeb berries, devil pod, dill seed, ginger root, golden seal root threads, hawthorn berries, honeysuckle flowers, juniper berries, marjoram, mint, motherwort, mustard seed, rosemary, and Solomon's seal root chips."

Koemi gaped at him. "You fit all that into a little sac?"

He bowed his head. "If I may say, I _am_ the best."

"If I'm not mistaken, those herbs contribute to protection and strength." She said.

A velvet voice whispered in her ear. "And satisfaction in the bed."

She jumped and waved her hands. "Holy shit, get away from me!"

Sitri laughed. The sun was already setting in the sky, and she chose to return to Base. "Guys! Guys!" She burst through the doors to see them solemnly staring at each other.

"You're back." Takigawa looked at her with surprise. "What's up?"

"I learned how to change worlds."

"Really? That's good news. So you won't get stuck anymore?" He asked.

"Nope!" She beamed. "I'm the head witch in charge…What are you guys talking about?"

"The principal wants us off the job." Takigawa said. "And now we know what the problem is. A Chinese death curse for Matsuyama. Koduku. The spirits are drawn here and the strongest eat the others until one remains to carry out the job. Orikiri-sama was the talisman that does it."

"You guys have become wonderful at paraphrasing for me." Koemi informed them. "Like, really good."

Matsuyama entered the room. "It doesn't look like you're packing yet" He smirked cruelly, hand on hip. "Are you coming up with more bogus ghost stories to tell?"

Oliver stood from his perch, still holding an Orikiri-sama paper. "I think it would be best in your interest if you didn't hear any of our discussion."

"Are you planning on how you're going to justify your fear or something?" He looked smug.

Takigawa covered Mai's mouth before she could yell at him about his impending doom. She bit him.

"It's about time you cut your losses, son." He continued. "We know you're a fraud." Another smile crossed his features. "This girl," he gestured towards Koemi. "Says we're wasting her 'precious college time'." He snickered. "What lies."

Oliver held the Orikiri-sama paper up to him. "Sir, were you aware that Ouiji boarding has become popular at this school?"

"What? You mean that stupid game?" He spat the words out as if they were physically ailing him.

"This is the board used for what is called Orikiri-sama." His face was cold. "Someone has been spreading these around the school without realizing the dangerous implications."

"Why are you telling me this?" His smile was gone, and he had a stern look.

"This talisman is used solely for performing a death curse."

"Death curse." With a scoff that obnoxious smile returned. "Hah. That's ridiculous. You expect me to believe a piece of paper could kill someone? Who do you think this silly _death curse_ is for?"

Oliver didn't sweeten it. "You. And it's very real. Isn't that right, Lin?"

"Yes." He took the paper from the teen.

"Hey," Matsuyama growled. "That's not something you joke about."

Lin offered it to Takigawa. "Takigawa, are you able to read Sanskrit?"

He hummed. "More or less."

"Look on the right side. The name on the right side is the name of the person being cursed."

"Hmm…Let's see here." He looked at it. "That can only be read as Hideharu Matsuyama."

"What?" The teacher growled.

"It doesn't necessarily have to be written in Sanskrit." Lin said. Oliver leaned against the wall. "In fact, the age of the person is to the left and written in Kanji."

"Naru, would you mind reading that?"

"When it comes to reading Kanji, I'm pretty clueless." He admitted, looking surprised that Lin even asked.

"It translates into 53 years old." Lin finished.

Koemi shivered and her eyes went dull. Without even a gasp, she fell to the ground.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I like making her faint, I've noticed. Weirdy.  
><strong>


	11. Soul Travel and the Great Goddess

"W-what?" Koemi blinked, waking up on a stairwell. Mai cried into her knees beside her.

"How could he? He's going to hurt all these students!" She growled into her legs.

Koemi tried to orient herself. "I don't understand…" She shook her head and noticed her body finding her way to Mai, hands outstretched to feel her way down.

"Holy hell."

"How did you manage this?" A kind voice asked beside her, though frustrated. "Of all the bad luck in the world…"

"Gene?" She spun to face him. "What are you doing here? Gene." She threw her arms around his neck and clenched her teeth. _I will not cry._

"Soul traveling." He shrugged, patting her back. "How have you been, Koko?"

Her will snapped at the nickname and she burst into tears, clutching his shirt tightly. She tried to form words but just senselessly blubbered instead.

"Shh, you're alright." He rubbed soothing circles into her back. "I know how to get you back into your body."

She shook her head, pressing her face into his shoulder. "Please don't leave me again," she managed, stuttering through the phrase. "I missed you so much."

"Big girls don't cry," he teased her.

"Big boys shouldn't die." She countered, adjusting herself to look up at him.

"We can talk about this when your body has a soul, alright?" He smiled at her. His smile. Not Oliver's, not anyone's. Just his.

She nodded hesitantly.

He guided her up to her body and kissed her forehead gently. "I always loved you." He whispered to her as he shoved her back through.

It was the single most excruciating moment in her entire life. Her soul tore itself apart to fit through every pore…every opening in the body. It was like being put through a microscopic cheese grater. When everything was inside the black hole, she jumbled about trying to get her soul in the right place. When everything was set, her soul began to mend itself again. As opposed to feeling better, it was worse. Like thousands of burning hot needles being stabbed into every square inch of her skin.

She fell to her knees. "That really hurt," she gasped. "Oh god."

A whisper reached her. "Stop Mai."

Koemi rolled her shoulders and stood. "Where is she?"

Silence answered her.

"Great." She took off down the nearest hallway, following the sound of footsteps. "Mai! Maaai!"

She heard chanting and skittered into the room. "Mai?"

The ground was covered in…water? Koemi recognized the chant as the Seal of the Unmovable One. Just as she approached Mai, she began reciting something Koemi didn't know. Bubbles rose out of the water and the door slammed behind them.

"Mai, we have to go." Koemi grabbed her elbow and began to tow her back towards the door.

"Be gone!" Mai finished. A face emerged, and the water…no…blood splattered onto them.

Full white bodies emerged now, malformed creatures with huge eyes.

Koemi grabbed Mai and threw her against the door, her eyes suddenly glowing. A blue aura emanated from her. "Orb of light, I conjure thee with all my might. Part thou enemy Darkness from my sight."

That didn't appear to work. Koemi took a step and touched the nearest, her head snapping back with pain. "What is dark be filled with light, remove this spirit from my sight."

They looked at her almost quizzically before overtaking her. They grabbed at her ankles and wrists. Mai screamed.

Koemi almost lovingly took one in her arms. "It is time to leave here; all is well. There is nothing here for you now, you must be gone. Go now, go. Complete your passing. Go with our blessing fare well. Farewell."

It's hands were limp by it's side, and it's head was wedged between her breasts.

She kissed the top of it's head gently. "I purify you of the past, of hurt and memories. Keep with you only Love."

A blinding light flashed and Mai felt two hands grab her. _This is it. This is the end. _Mai thought, feeling them pull her.

Takigawa pulled her in the hall and chanted quickly before sealing the room. "Hurry!"

They made it outside and collapsed in the parking lot.

"You _idiot_!" Takigawa yelled at her. "You could have died! You only just learned magic the other day!"

Mai stared into her lap. "I know." Her voice broke.

"If I hadn't been there you could've _died_! Do you have any idea how _lucky_ you are?!"

"I-I'm sorry!" She burst into tears, hiding her face in her hands.

Ayako hugged her. "You're okay now."

Mai shook her head. "Koemi saved me."

"Koemi?" Takigawa asked, eyes widening.

"She stopped them long enough…they would have…they would have…" She burst into a fresh round of tears.

John and Takigawa looked at each other, horror dropping into their stomachs. "She's still in there."

As Takigawa took off towards the school, a figure stumbled out. Koemi laughed as if she had heard a funny joke and collapsed.

* * *

><p>Koemi woke on the couch in Oliver's office. She knew it was the same, particular couch as she recognized the scuffs on the ceiling from her tennis ball. Oliver was still asleep beside her, having her seated between his legs and his arms crossed across her belly.<p>

She yawned quietly and snuggled closer to him.

The movement woke him. "You're awake."

"Good morning to you too." She answered.

"You've been asleep for a month." He informed her.

Koemi's mouth fell open. "W-What?"

"A month."

"Not possible!" She said.

"It's March." He answered. "You were hurt severely when you made contact with the fox fire. It would have killed an ordinary human."

"I made contact with the fox fire?"

"Mai said you hugged it."

Koemi slapped her forehead. "Damn you, brain! Stop making me blank out!"

He took her hand and held it in both his. "Koemi, the demon visited. He came with a woman. Your mother."

"My…Mother?" She processed that. "She died when I was a baby. It's impossible."

Oliver brushed the hair from her face. "I have no doubt she spoke true. She was almost as beautiful as you."

Koemi flushed and mumbled.

"They said they'll be back when you're awake."

As if on cue, the door opened. "She's awake." Stolas stated. "I sensed it."

"You should have knocked." A silky voice chastised. "Teenagers are not always decent when they have certain urges."

"This is an office, and your daughter and her suitor are mature." Stolas countered.

Koemi looked up at the pair that entered. Stolas' hair was as unruly as ever, and his eyes seemed brighter.

The woman that accompanied him was the most beautiful woman Koemi had ever seen, and she instantly felt abashed that Oliver thought she was prettier. Her hair was the same as Koemi's, only it was tied in a braid that fell over her shoulder. She wore an expensive looking white suit that fit her busty body tightly, outlining her perfect physique. Her white, straight teeth were framed by a fair set of rose-colored lips. Eyes like ice shone like diamonds against her ivory skin. "My daughter."

Not even Koemi could deny the resemblance, though. Not when their facial structures were close to identical. With her came a wave of power so strong Koemi had to fight the urge to bow to her.

She breathed in deeply. "You're my mother?"

"I am the mother of all that is alive, all that is well." She smiled to herself. "But biologically, you are my only _real _daughter."

Stolas cut in nervously. "Remember how Prince Sitri kept calling you a demigod?"

The woman gave him a sharp glare, and he stopped. "It is a sin among Gods to do so, but I birthed a human man's child. It was the Plan. The time was right, and the man was the Chosen One."

"You'll have to explain that to me," Koemi scoffed. "My father was a rat. A drunk that could barely pay the rent. Forgive me for saying so, but that son of a bitch was on the verge of selling my body to his friends just to get by."

The goddess bowed her head. "It was a pity. Before he succumbed to Evil, your father was a wonderful man. A writer. When he found out I was pregnant, he was ecstatic. He and his son had lived alone for years, as his former wife had passed when Kazumi was just a babe. They knew me as Stacy."

Koemi blinked. "Kazumi is only my half brother?"

Oliver elbowed her.

"Sorry."

"Your father…He loved the two of us as much as physically possible." A melancholy smile remembered him sweetly. "He was charming, and handsome, and loving. I was blessed to know him. But I couldn't stay long." She shook her head sorrowfully. "I faked my death as soon as you had been weaned off of breast milk. Your father was devastated."

Koemi shook her head. "No, he always hated me. He beat me. He drank and he beat me. As far back as I can remember, he's always beaten me."

"Things were not always that way." 'Stacy' said. "My daughter, it pleases me to see you in good health."

"I don't understand." Koemi leaned forward. "Which Goddess are you?"

"I have heard the Great Goddess, in terms of my own name."

Koemi's mouth fell open. "You mean you're the…I'm the…You're not…"

"Breathe," Oliver reminded her, watching her face turn red.

She turned to him. "She's the…"

The Great Goddess smiled. "You can call me mom, if you wish."

"She's my…" Koemi shook Oliver's arm frantically. "I'm the…"

Stacy glanced out the window. "I'm afraid I must be leaving." She stepped delicately forward and hugged Koemi gently, kissing her forehead. "I hope we can talk again soon, my child. Especially in regards to the powers you seem to have inherited." She dove through the jelly wall and was gone.

Stolas grinned at her and followed quickly after.

"She was…" Koemi stared wide-eyed at Oliver.

He quieted her. "You should get rest."

She shook her head. "I haven't peed in a _month_."

When all was said and taken care of, Koemi found herself underneath Naru on the couch. They were broken apart to breathe and he spoke first. "I've received a job request." He told her.

"Really? That's good." Koemi lifted her arms as he stripped her of her shirt. "Any luck finding Gene yet?"

"No." His hands reached behind her and expertly unclasped her bra. "But the job is from the former Prime Minister."

"No kidding?" Koemi looked up at him with surprise. "That's not as big of news as finding out your mother is the _goddess you worship_, but that's still weird. What did he want?"

His lips tore away from her sensitive skin long enough to answer. "There's a haunting in a mansion. Media will eat it up if they hear about it. Multiple disappearances. He's hired other people too."

"Yeah? Are you going to do it?" She asked.

"To be honest, I don't particularly have any interest in it. Madoka asked me to, however."

Koemi sat up, peering at his bared body. "Why? What's the catch?"

"Dr. Davis is going to be there." He answered, looking somewhat put off by the fact that he was stopped.

"That's a pretty big deal." She snorted. "How cool would it be if you could just slam another aluminum block into the wall and be like 'YO I'M DAVIS, YA HUR?'"

He raised his eyebrow at her.

"I know…" She sighed. "You would never do that. It's fun to imagine, though. So what are you going to do?"

He unbuttoned her pants and rolled back onto the couch, pulling her on top of him. "I'll have Yasuhara stand in for me in that matter. For now, there's more…" He considered his word choice. "Pressing matters to attend to."


	12. Bloodstained Labryinth

The team was gathered in the sitting space of the SPR office. Oliver sat at the head of it all, directly facing Mai. Koemi sat on the kitchen counter, swinging her legs cheerfully.

"I have received a job request." Oliver said. "And it's a substantial one. The client appears to desire confidentiality, but once the media catches wind of this, it's obvious that it'll cause complete chaos. Therefore I'd like to ask for your help."

Masako held her hand against her chest. "Might this be from someone named Oohashi-san?"

"So you received a request as well, Hara-san?"

"Yes."

Ayako leaned forward. "This person, who is he?"

"This Oohashi-san is the go-between. The real client is…" He pulled a newspaper clipping from his files notebook.

A chorus of whats filled the air. "This is—." Ayako began.

"The client's the former Prime Minister?!" Mai gasped.

Takigawa looked at it and Koemi realized he had cut his hair. "Of course it'll be a media frenzy."

"I want to avoid personal attention as much as possible." Oliver closed his eyes. "So I would like to ask for you to take the attention for me, Yasuhara-san."

"Huh?" Yasuhara blinked. "Me?"

Mai reached a realization. "So that was why you brought Yasuhara-san?" She smiled sheepishly. "I thought we were just gonna' celebrate that he passed his exam!"

"You got into university?" Takigawa gawked.

"Yeah, thanks to everybody." Yasuhara drew his hand up and scratched his head.

Everyone clapped, save Oliver.

"That's great!" Mai cheered.

"Congratulations!" Takigawa applauded.

Oliver slammed his notebook, a slap echoing the room.

Everyone calmed.

"Could you grant me this favor, Yasuhara-san?" He looked back to Yasuhara.

"Of course. If I can be of any help, I'd love to. After all, Shibuya-san, you're the person who solved that case at our school."

"Hold on." Takigawa interrupted. "I get your hate for the media, Naru-chan, but is it really necessary to get yourself a double?"

Koemi shuddered. That woman was still out there. The one who killed Eugene. If she saw Oliver…she'd undoubtedly go for him. She'd think he was Eugene. Then she'd lose both of them…

"The client apparently gathered several other psychics, but there are several who seemed quite shady. I don't want to become acquainted with that lot."

"Heh." Bou leaned on his hand. "So you just push anything you don't like onto others."

"If you don't agree with it, you're very welcome to go home." He stated.

The door slammed open, and Mori Madoka entered. Koemi tried to duck further into the kitchen, but she saw the girl immediately. "Koemi!" The woman grabbed her hand and continued into the room. "Geez! Why don't you ask them more formally?"

"Um, excuse me, but who are you?" Mai asked.

Madoka put her hands—and Koemi's—on her hips and lectured Oliver. He glared at his lap, eyes closed. "When you ask someone for something, there's a thing called your tone of voice, you know. I keep telling you, but you don't seem to have any ability to learn!" She straightened and faced the group. "I'm sorry, this boy just doesn't know his manners."

"Madoka, would you please shut up? This conversation isn't going anywhere."

"Then, please be a little careful with the way you talk." Madoka beamed at him. She drew Koemi into a hug. "Koemi! It's so great to see you alive and well!"

"Everyone seems to say that," Koemi wondered. "Is it really so hard to believe I haven't killed myself yet?"

Madoka released her, nodded, and faced the group. "My name is Mori Madoka."

"How are you related to Naru?" Mai asked, standing opposite to them.

"I'm basically his teacher." She said.

"His teacher?" Takigawa gaped.

"I was the one who taught him about ghost hunting." She admitted brightly.

"Whaaaat?" they all gasped.

She turned to her face to see him, but he glared at the wall opposite of her, effectively avoiding her eyes. "I had him take the case because of my situation." She smiled. "I realize it's a bother, but please help." She bowed, and everyone else returned it.

"I guess that's it than." Koemi said.

* * *

><p>A few days later, they stood in the doorway of a grand mansion. "Thank you all for coming. My name is Oohashi-san. I have been given full authority over this case. Please go ahead and consider me your client."<p>

Oohashi had a clean cut hair style and pristine gray suit. Although he was probably a political dog, he had a warm smile that made Koemi want to trust him. _Ugh. He's the worst._ She complained inwardly.

"By the way, who might the director be?" He surveyed the faces.

Yasuhara stepped forward. "Oh that'd be me." He raised his hand, smiling brightly. "I'm the director, Shibuya Kazuya."

"You certainly seem young, just like I've heard. And the people behind you are?"

"They're psychics who we've been fortunate enough to work with." He answered. John, Ayako and Takigawa bowed politely. "We've asked for their help with this case." He turned to address Oliver. "And this is my assistant."

"My name is Narumi Kazuo." He answered confidently.

Of course it was easy to lie about his name. Shibuya Kazuya was an alias after all. This just meant he had an alias for his alias.

They were led up the stairs and through a hall. Staircases and random cabinet doors adorned the ceiling. "This is a strange house." Mai pointed out.

"Certainly surreal." Takigawa agreed.

"I've seen a painting that's sort of like this." John looked at one of the flower pots on a small shelf on the wall.

"I wonder if the person who built this house was an artist." Ayako offered.

"Please come this way." Oohashi opened the door to a meeting room. Everyone but Mai went on without a problem. Mai froze and looked down the hallway anxiously.

"What is it?" Takigawa asked.

"N-No. Nothing." She shook her head and scuttled after them.

Koemi entered the extravagantly decorated dining room close behind Masako. In the middle, there was a long dining table with what looked like really expensive tea cups set out. Many of the other psychics and investigators were already seated, a low hum coming from the combined murmurs.

"This house has been long abandoned." Oohashi stood at the front of the table. "Because of that, it seems some local youngsters came here to explore. But at one point one of them disappeared. A young man from the fire company who came looking for her also disappeared. During all of this, one of the youngsters claim to have seem a spirit body or something. In fact, there is a rumor that ghosts appear in this house."

Koemi measured the table's reactions.

"There have been stories of a construction worker disappearing during previous reconstructions." He continued. "And since we would like to prevent the formation of any other ill rumors, we have gathered you all here. We have prepared a reward for the team who successfully completes the exorcism."

"I see!" A large Chinese man exclaimed.

"Other than those who wish to retire and go home, I ask that all others refrain from leaving the premises." Oohashi said. "Well now, I'd like to introduce the teams that have been gathered here today."

Koemi glanced at Masako, for whom she was currently acting as assistant.

"Igarashi-sensei from Otowa University and her assistant Suzuki Naoka-sama." He pointed out. Igarashi stood up and bowed. They were both women. Igarashi had graying hair, but old age was kind to her thus far. Suzuki had mousy brown hair.

"Hara Masako-sama,, a psychic, and her assistant Ayumu Koemi, who also possesses minor psychic powers."

Koemi snorted and stood, bowing uncomfortably in her blue and black kimono. It was the exact opposite of Masako's own red and white one.

Oohashi bowed his head at her politely.

"The Director of the Minami Psychic Research Group, Minami Reimei-sama." He introduced the Chinese man. "And researcher, Atsugi Hideo-sama. Also, their observer, Professor Oliver Davis, from the British SPR."

She looked at the old man, feeling a smile tug at her lips. She elbowed Masako. Masako was the only one who knew Oliver's secret, besides Koemi.

Masako sent her a dangerous look.

"Please leave the case to us, as we have Professor Davis with us, and we're expecting to have the help of other famous individuals!" Reimei stood, pumping his fist in the air.

Koemi bit her tongue to prevent laughter. Takigawa was completely hypnotized.

A woman burst into the room. She looked to be about seventeen, maybe. "What's happening here?" She demanded. "Someone update me."

Almost prissily, she sat back on her leg and crossed her arms, tapping her foot with annoyance.

Koemi's mouth dropped open. "Don't tell me…"

"Miss Walker, you're late." Reimei glared at her.

"Aaaand?" She tossed her perfectly curled hair.

Koemi looked pleadingly at Masako. "Please tell me I don't act like that."

Masako hid her laughter behind a sleeve. "You're not that girlish."

Koemi deflated and rested her head on the table. "She looks like a _slut_."

"Excuse me, bitch?" Miss Walker padded up to the table. "Do you have something to take up with moi?"

"Yes, I do." Koemi jumped out of her chair and slammed her hands on the table. "Miss Walker doesn't speak French. And she sure as hell doesn't curl her hair. Ever. No, it's naturally kinky." she was grateful she had her hair braided today, so that no one could see her kinky hair.

"Well, last I checked, _mon chêre, _I do speak French." She popped her bubblegum.

"Yeah, when's the last time you ate something _organic_, you bimbo?!" Koemi accused. "Miss Walker is _clearly _a Wiccan."

"Yeah? You don't seem to know me very well then." Miss Walker tossed her blonde hair.

"MISS WALKER ISN'T—." Naru grabbed her by the elbow and towed her out of the room.

"Koemi. Your behavior is unacceptable." He growled. "The point of this entire thing is to _not draw attention to ourselves._"

"You're putting it off." She snapped. "Just like you did to Eugene when we started seeing each other. You're not telling the inevitable."

"I'm protecting us." He glared at her. "Our job is to get Gene, get out." He reminded her. "I don't care what anyone else thinks."

"Then you don't mind if I leave."

Oliver looked down at her, shocked. Her hair shadowed her expression. "If you don't care what anyone else thinks, then I think I should leave you." She turned on her heel and stalked back to base.

* * *

><p>"So is that Professor Davis really that amazing? Yasuhara asked the group back at base. Koemi sat at the window, glaring at it.<p>

"He sure is. He's only a researcher regarding spirits, so he's not too famous with supernatural power." Ayako explained.

Takigawa went into fangirl mode. "But he performed and open experiment on PK a couple years back."

"The thing about throwing a big block of aluminum against the wall, right? Although, I've never seen it." Ayako agreed.

John joined in thoughtfully. "And he's famous for rescuing the son of a wealthy American who was kidnapped."

Takigawa pointed at him excitedly. "You mean, how he found him buried alive in the dirt?"

John nodded.

"That means he also has clairvoyance, doesn't it?"

Koemi stood slowly, her face dark. "Professor Davis is an asshole. A complete _dick_. I suggest never, ever working with him because he's so full of himself he won't see the case." She spun and exited the room hurriedly.

"What's her deal?" Ayako asked irritably.

"Better yet, she knows Professor Davis?!" Takigawa gaped after her longingly.

John watched after her. "I'm not so sure she should go out there alone…"

Koemi found her way down a hallway. It seemed to twist. She stumbled and fell against the wall. She slowly slid down, clutching her head. _What is this feeling_?

"Oh look, it's the little girl from earlier." A snide voice said. "Are you lost, little girl?"

Koemi fought the urge to rip her throat out. Miss Walker. Probably accompanied by Professor Davis and Reimei.

"I'm onto you." She stood and faced Professor Davis, speaking in English. "And you." She narrowed her eyes at Miss Walker. "I was romantically involved with the _real _Professor Davis."

Reimei raised his eyebrows at her. "Are you accusing me of being a cheat?"

"Yes, I am. I, the true identity of Koemi Walker, accuse you of being a cheater." With that statement, she fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands.

Miss Walker seemed to pick up on what happened immediately. "You just broke up with someone, didn't you?"

But it didn't really seem like a question as she came and patted Koemi on the back. She nodded, wiping her streaming eyes.

"You can talk to me about it," the girl offered. "I'm a huge fan." She smiled sheepishly.

Koemi wiped her nose on her sleeve and stood again. "It was like he didn't even care about anyone!" She complained. "He only used me for sex, and the rest of the time he was telling me what I can and can't do! We came here to find his dead brother, and he says that's our only mission! Get him, get out!"

Miss Walker nodded sympathetically.

"He doesn't even care about the people we've met here! Only about his stupid secretary _Mai_."

"The girl with brown hair?"

She nodded. "I nearly got myself _killed _trying to save her! She tried to exorcise this super powerful ghost thing, and it attacked her, so I went all ghost mode on myself and hugged one! And he didn't even ask me what happened. He didn't ask how I felt. Didn't even mention it. Just told me I'd been asleep for a month. A _month_."

"What a jerk!" She gasped.

"And then he's just interested in sex! Sex! After I'd been sleeping for a month!" She clenched her fists. "When we first started dating…he was the same way. But after that, we grew closer and he became more protective and caring. Now it's like he's bored of me…"

The door entered and Yasuhara, Takigawa and Mai entered. "Ah. Hello…" Yasuhara looked at Koemi and Miss Walker inquisitively. "What are you doing, Koemi?"

"Throwing in the towel with you guys." She crossed her arms in front of her. "I'm just here to talk about Wicca with Miss Walker."

Takigawa's eyes widened. "You're quitting?"

"W-What?!" Mai stomped up to her. "No! Why?"

"Please don't pretend you care." She bowed to them. "I haven't gotten to know any of you, and I'd appreciate if you wouldn't pretend to know me."

"She'll be working for me." Miss Walker narrowed her eyes at them all. "Won't you, Koemi?"

"I believe we can help each other very much." Koemi agreed.

Mai glared at her. "Just because you don't know us doesn't mean we don't care!"

Koemi turned and walked out with Miss Walker.

She didn't run in to any of the SPR members until that night, where the old lady had invited them to a ritual. Igarashi, if her memory didn't betray her.

Miss Walker sat at the table with Professor Davis. The other two spots were for Igarashi and Igarashi's assistant.

Reimei cleared his throat. "Igarashi-sensei, could we make it a bit brighter in here? It'll be too dark for anything to show up on camera!"

"That's an ordinary video camera, right?" Igarashi asked.

"Why yes it is."

"When you told me you were going to film it for us, I simply figured it would be a night-vision camera." She apologized.

"A night-vision camera?" He asked.

"There is only going to be a single candle during the ritual." She smiled sympathetically on the researcher. "As you know, spirits dislike the light."

"W-Was that right?" Reimei flustered, still managing to remain proud.

"This is a problem. Without a night-vision camera…" Igarashi began.

"Lin-san!" Koemi cut in, leaning forward to grin at him. "We have a night-vision camera, right?"

Lin didn't face her. Naru, however answered. "Director, should we bring our night-vision camera?"

"Please, Narumi-kun." Yasuhara answered.

Oliver looked at Koemi. It was a deep, longing look that begged her to come out with him. She scowled and looked away, putting her hands on Miss Walker's shoulders. "Here, wear this. It was given to me by the demon Prince Stolas." She unfastened the herbal pouch from her neck and tied it around Miss Walker's. "It'll protect you from negativity, and it will help your power. Assuming you truly practice Wicca."

"I do, and thank you." The girl hissed, beaming.

_What a change in attitude. _Koemi commented. _At first she was angry and prissy, and now she's actually really nice and happy. I guess she was just trying to portray the reports of my behavior.  
><em>

In no time, Lin and Naru returned with the camera. The ritual commenced. "The person that is living in this house." They took deep breaths as Igarashi spoke. "Please talk to us. Use this woman's hand."

Koemi stood by Oliver, trying her best to ignore him. He ignored her flawlessly, his arms crossed like nothing had happened.

"If you can hear this voice, please let us hear the content of your heart."

There was silence for a few moments, and suddenly the candle flame strengthened.

The marker squawked indignantly against the paper as Suzuki began to write. Possessed, she quickly marked paper after paper. She threw them on the ground as she went, gaining speed. The room rapped and trembled, and the candle fell and extinguished.

Koemi felt a pair of hands wrap around her neck and squeaked fearfully. "Nau-Maku-San-Manda. Bazara-Dan-Kan!" Takigawa chanted.

Everything was gone, and Oliver flicked the lights on.

Reimei was hiding on the floor.

Koemi rubbed her neck and leaned forward, picking up one of the papers. _Help me. _It read. They were all the same…Except the one Takigawa picked up. "This one's different."

_I don't want to die._


	13. Help

_ Koemi knew she was asleep. But she could feel Eugene. She knew he was there, wanting to talk to her._

_ As she suspected, he sat on the end of her bed. _

_ She sat up, but knew it wasn't real. "Hey."_

_ "So you broke up with Noll." He said simply, his blue eyes worried._

_ "Yes." She looked at her hands. "I did."_

_ "Why?"_

_ "I don't know. I guess I wanted to see if he'd care." She mumbled. "And so far he hasn't."_

_ Eugene sighed and leaned forward, taking her hands in his and rubbing circles on the backs of them with his thumbs. "What about you? Do you care?"_

_ Koemi stared at their now joined hands and shrugged. "I just…I feel like he doesn't love me anymore. I know that's incredibly angsty and entirely cheesy, but it's also entirely true."_

_ "You have no reason to be insecure." Eugene promised her. "You're beautiful, you're smart, you're witty, you—."_

_ "Mai is all those things." Koemi interrupted. _

_ "But she's not you."_

_ Koemi shook her head. "Maybe that's why Oliver likes her."_

_ "No, Koemi." Eugene said forcefully. "He loves you. He's probably worried sick about you."_

_ "I didn't really get that impression." She retorted._

_ He grabbed her wrist and dragged her out into the hallway, down a ways until they reached where the boys were staying. "See."_

_ Sure enough, Oliver was still awake in his twin bed. He stared up at the ceiling with dry eyes. _

_Eugene shoved her towards him and made her look. "He's devastated. Trying to figure out what he did wrong. Trying to find out how he can fix it. Koemi, you're the best thing that happened to him, and by doing this you're ripping his heart out."_

_ Oliver gently touched his lips with the pads of his fingers._

* * *

><p>Koemi woke with her fingers on her lips. "Naru."<p>

Morning had broke. It looked to be around ten. She yawned and sat up in her bed, rubbing her tired eyes. "Oliver." She stood and threw her robe over her nightgown. She shuffled into the hallway to see Suzuki padding by. "Suzuki-san? What are you doing?" She asked curiously. "It's really early to be up."

Suzuki ignored her and continued on her way.

"Suzuki?" She padded after her. "Su—." A force hit her in the stomach, sending her sprawling backwards.

She looked up to see hands reaching for her and let out a terrified squawk. "NO!"

One fastened around her wrist, but she flailed the other one. "I am a statue made of stone, I am protected by the Crone, Evil be away, Evil be gone!"

The hands recoiled slightly, but continued to reach.

Koemi stood and sprinted down the hallway. "Nononononononononononono." She whined. "Nonono." She turned and burst through the doors of the dining room. "Nonono." She told the crowd there. "No."

"What happened?" Takigawa asked curiously.

"I don't really know…" Koemi answered. "It wasn't good. Really, children, safety in numbers."

"What happened?" He asked again, more worried than curious now.

"I passed Suzuki in the hall. She wouldn't answer me so I tried to follow her and get her attention, but then something hit me. Something hit me hard. I flew back and when I looked up there were these weird detached hands reaching for me. I cast a spell and just ran…" Koemi tilted her head. "I need to go find her. She could be captured by those hands!" She bolted towards the door, but Oliver stopped her.

"You can't go alone." He stated quietly.

Igarashi was already running down the hallway. "SUZUKI! SUZUKIIII!"

"I can. It's just unadvised." She snapped.

He released her arm and let her continue. "It's not my problem if you get yourself killed."

Oliver split them up and sent them to search for Suzuki.

He personally went with Lin back to their base.

* * *

><p>That night, Atsugi disappeared.<p>

Miss Walker padded into the SPR base soon after. "Have you seen Koemi-san?" She asked nervously, pulling her robe tight around herself.

Oliver's heart dropped. "What do you mean?"

"I thought she was with you…but she hasn't come back yet."

Oliver tried to stay calm as he walked towards Miss Walker. "May I see that pouch?"

She nodded and handed it to him.

Nothing happened. _I shouldn't have said that to her…_

* * *

><p>Koemi watched Atsugi scream as the knife was pulled closer to his throat. "NO!" She screamed. "LEAVE HIM <em>ALONE<em>!" She rushed at the shadow. Another shadow appeared and pushed her against the wall.

She looked down at herself as he changed her into a white kimono.

"ATSUGIIIIIIIII!" She screamed. There was a sickening squish and he stopped straining against the table he was strapped too. Both shadows approached her, throwing his body in the bathtub to drain.

She screamed and shoved against them. "LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"

They forced her onto the table, pulling her head down over the ledge by her hair. One by one, the straps were fastened.

Koemi strained against her bonds."NO!"

"I don't want to die." A voice growled.

"Goddess protect me, Invoke the Power of Three. Where is darkness be filled with light, I pray to thee with all my might. Warm the chill that fills this room, I sanction thee with my cleansing broom."

Koemi took a few shaky breaths to calm herself. For now, she was safe. The power warmed her, and she knew the Goddess was protecting her. Against a monster...It wouldn't last.

Atsugi's corpse still floated in the bathtub.

"Hello?"

No one answered her. There was no one _to _answer her. For the first time since she had disappeared, she felt completely alone.

"You're here?" A warped voice reached her ears. She recognized it as Suzuki.

"Suzuki? Where are you?"

A ghostly face appeared above her. "I am here."

Koemi felt tears sting her eyes. "I'm sorry. I should have stopped you. I could have."

"I don't blame you." She said simply.

"Earth and Air, Fire and Water, Give protection to your daughter." She whispered before quietly crying herself to sleep.

* * *

><p><em>I was a maid here. All the way from a distant village. It was an honor to be added to the staff. I was fed and treated well. It wasn't until later that they took me. They took me from my bed, told me to change. So I did, of course. A perfect white kimono. I was flattered. They took me to see our Master, they said. So I went with them to his study. It was there that they forcefully took me and dragged me into a room I knew nothing of. Green tiles, bloody. There, they strapped me to a table and…then there's nothing.<em>

* * *

><p>Koemi woke quizzically from her dream. It was more like a detached diary than a dream. She wasn't sure how long she had been out, but she assumed it was short enough that her previous spell hadn't worn off. "God and Goddess of the skies, please respond to my cries. Lift me up in your strong arms, away from those who seek to harm. Shield me from the awful rage that shall face me day to day. Help me be strong in what I do and help my heart remain true. Give me the strength to face each day, and the hardships before me lain. Let those who I love, love me in return, and everyday let me learn. I bid you both my spirit keep, while I'm awake and asleep. So mote it be!"<p>

She yawned and turned her head. Her neck was stiff and she felt blood drip from a scab by her hairline. _Gross._

The time ticked by. _I'm going to die here._ She realized darkly. _No one knows where I am. I don't know where I am. I'll be down here an unknown time. I'll likely die of thirst. It's cold. I'm dressed improperly. They're dead…_ she glanced at the two, animalistic terror washing through her.

"Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream." Koemi whispered to herself. "Dream a but is life, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, stream the down gently boat your row, row, row."

"His name is Urado." Suzuki whispered to her, the blue ghost appearing.

"I don't want to die." A voice gurgled.

"I don't either, asshole. Newsflash! You _are_ dead!" Koemi roared. She chanted a short prayer and felt her eyes grow heavy. _Someone...help me...help..._

* * *

><p>Naru sat down in his seat. It was day six. Koemi disappeared on day three. She was dead.<p>

"We're leaving." He stated.

"W-What?!" Mai gasped. "Why?!"

"Exorcism is impossible."

"But Koemi—." Mai protested.

"Is dead."

* * *

><p>Koemi rolled her head on her shoulders, waking up sluggishly. When had she fallen asleep?<p>

Hunger gnawed at her stomach. Her throat felt foamy and it was impossible to swallow.

Labored, she looked up as Urado returned, breathing heavily down at her. _I can't even cry_. She watched him come closer.

_Thumpthump…thump…thump…thumpthumpthumpthump._

Koemi's heart pounded frantically, trying to understand her dehydration. Her muscles twitched with confusion.

_I'm going to die. _She watched the knife rise above her throat, oddly detached. _Should I just let them? It's quick or slow…_ "In the center of the darkest storm…is a brilliant rainbow, bright and warm. Look past the darkness that you see, there's more than what you think might be. There now is freedom so you can find the path to stimulate your mind. So don't despair… let the hope shine bright, the sun will rise, just past the night."

The danger was gone.

Sort of.

* * *

><p><em>Eugene looked at Koemi curiously. "You're close to death." He told her.<em>

_ Koemi felt her throat. It was slick and . Comfortable. She felt warm here.  
><em>

_ She remembered what Oliver had told her. "In one hundred years, everyone we know will be dead." _

_"Koemi, don't accept it!" He smacked her arm. "You deserve to l—."_

_ Koemi pressed her lips to his. He melted against her almost instantly, taking control of the kiss and holding her close. _

_ His lips moved in perfect rhythm with hers as his hands pulled her closer._

_ Simultaneously, they realized what was happening and yanked apart, blushing and looking at their feet._

_ "I'm sorry." Koemi whispered. "I shouldn't have…"_

_ Eugene smiled. "I'm glad you did. You've got to live like you're dying." He looked away from her. "I'll be back. I'm going to get you help."_

* * *

><p>Koemi woke and sighed. "If you <em>want <em>to save me so much, you should just _unstrap me and let me save myself_." She didn't even strain against the bonds. "You fucking dumb ass. I SWEAR IT ON MY LIFE, EUGENE. IF I FIND YOU, I WILL BRING YOU TO LIFE AND KILL YOU AGAIN!"

A sniffle calmed her. "You're alive?"

Koemi tried to lift her head. "Eugene?"

"No…It's Masako." The girl stood and wiped her eyes. A key was clutched in her hands. "Naru was just here. He said...he said everything was going to be alright…and then Mai came…They all thing you're dead. I thought you were."

"I feel like it," she let her head drop as Masako freed her. She stretched her legs stiffly. "I've been up there for a while, I guess." She laughed.

"Four days," Masako told her.

"What? Really?"

She nodded, and they heard footsteps. "Masako! Masako?"

Mai flew into the room just to heroically slide through a puddle of blood.

_Blood._

That hadn't been there three seconds ago…

"Koemi?!" Mai gasped. "You're alive?!"

"Eh." She responded, feeling her hunger roar at them. "Not really."

"Let's get out of here…" She helped them to their feet. Blood was now in the bathtub. At some point, she guessed Atsugi had been moved somewhere else.

"I don't want to die."

Urado rose slowly from the pit. His breathing was loud.

"We've had this conversation," Koemi snapped.

The other two balanced her weight and took off running. A sudden wave sent Mai sprawling into the wall. Koemi and Masako were pushed onto the ground.

Koemi stood, flinching at the stiffness in her neck. It was like her spine was concrete. "Darkness heed my words of good, there is no place for evil blood—." Wet footsteps slapped against the tile, slowly approaching Mai.

"Hey, bozo. Pick on someone your own size!" Koemi danced forward. There was a sharp, stingy sensation in her stomach and she ignored it. Probably hunger. A shadowy hand grabbed her and threw her onto the ground, keeping her down.

Mai squeezed her eyes shut, opening them as a puff of air displaced her bangs. When she looked up and saw Urado mouth-breathing on her, her pupils shrank. Before anyone could react, she let out a piercing scream.

"Mai!"

Lin whistled and his familiars attacked Urado.

Takigawa approached Mai as she fell to her knees. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. Masako?"

Masako crawled to Koemi. "Ayumu-san needs help." She rasped fearfully, motioning to the blood that seeped from her now stained kimono.

"We all need to get out of here right away." Lin informed them. "I wasn't able to destroy Urado. He'll only be stopped in for a mpment."

Oliver reached for Koemi's unmoving body, gently scooping her up and pursuing the others.

Mai was right behind him. They ran until she stopped, looking back fearfully.

Koemi's head lolled stupidly on her shoulders. "Naru..."

He urged Mai forward and addressed the others. "WE'LL GO OUT THROUGH THAT WINDOW." He shouted. "EVERYONE OUT OF THE HOUSE, NOW."

Takigawa kicked through the window obediently. "LET'S GO!" He leapt out and extended his hand to help Oliver and Koemi get through. The others clambered out shortly after.

Oliver pushed his back up against the wall, hurriedly brushing the hair out of Koemi's face. "Koemi, can you hear me?"

She squeezed her eyes closed and put her hand over his face. "Unfortunately."

Takigawa scolded Mai. "We _told _you not to go out on your own."

Mai was on her knees, staring at the well-manicured lawn. She didn't dare look at Takigawa, who was sprawled on his back staring at the stars. "I know…"

"I guess something good came out of it." He was expressionless. "We found the missing people."

"Where were they?" Mai finally did look up, surprised.

"They were stacked up on one another in a room on the second floor. All their throats were slit." He continued past that. "We found bones in another room that were piled on shelves like some kind of trophies."

"All Urado's victims?" Mai asked, not really truly wanting to hear the answer.

"Think so. It looks like after their blood was drained out, their flesh was burned off so their bones could be displayed on the wall. There's no way it there was just one man behind all this carnage.

"Hiroyuki tried to conceal it. I think that much is obvious now." Oliver held Koemi's hand tighter than she normally would have allowed, but he saw the expression on her face and knew it was what she needed. Her chin quivered and she hid her face in his chest. "You're safe now."

"Why did _I _live?" Tears seeped slowly down her face. "Why couldn't he kill me when I prayed?" Her voice broke with each word. "Why couldn't they kill me like they killed Atsugi?"

"What happened?" Mai asked curiously.

Oliver sent her a look that told her to shut up, but she ignored it, inching forward.

"They held me against the wall and made me watch," she shook her head, hiding her face in her hands. "I was so sure I was dead..._I could have saved them_."

"You're alive, that's all that matters." Takigawa corrected her. "No one expects you to sacrifice yourself for another."

Koemi let out a muffled sob and doubled over her stomach as the pain began to register.

"Thank you." Masako gently placed a key in Mai's hands. "It really helped."

"No way!" Mai screeched, causing everyone to jolt their attention away from Koemi. "I thought I gave this to you in my dream!"

"Retro-cognition, clairvoyance and now astral projection? You're building up quite a resume!" Takigawa told her. "Speaking of talents, you've got some." He looked at Lin from the corner of his eye.

"Yeah?" Lin asked.

"What was that you did earlier?" Curious as ever. "It looked like you threw something when you saved Mai back there."

"Those were just my Shiki." He answered.

"Wow, really?"

"Shiki?" Mai asked dumbly, eyes wide as ever.

"When you make a demon or spirit you've captured work for you, it's called Ekiki. Each spirit you use is called a Shiki."

"Wow how cool!" Mai seemed to gain a new respect for the Chinese man.

Lin smiled slightly at the praise and turned to watch the sun rise over the treetops.

"The sun is starting to rise." Oliver pointed out. As he stood, a little hair comb fell from his pocket. His concern was solely based on Koemi, so he ignored it as he carried her to the front of the house.

"Naru I think you forgot something," Ayako knelt and saved it from the grass. "A comb?"

Dumbfounded, Masako claimed it. "Actually I think that belongs to me."

Mai twitched and slowly faced Oliver. "Why on Earth would you be carrying her comb…?"

He stared at her blankly for a moment and continued back on his journey along the wall.

"Oh dear," Ayako purred.

"That's embarrassing!" Takigawa chuckled.

"He must have been really worried about her." Madoka smiled.

"Naru's a kind soul." John had pretty much the same expression as ever. He wasn't even teasing.

"What a moving story." Yasuhara nodded firmly.

Naru rounded the corner and looked down at Koemi. "Out of everyone, how did you manage to get stabbed?" He questioned angrily.

Koemi slid her hands inside his jacket, shivering still from the dank room. "I patronized Urado."

"You did?"

"I called him a bozo and told him to pick on someone his own size..." She looked up to her

Oliver opened Lin's car door and laid her in the back. He popped open a water bottle and gave her a little sip.

Koemi tried to take it out of his hands, but he pulled back and recapped it. "Anymore would hurt you."

"Any less will too!" She whined.

He firmly set it out of her reach and leaned over her to roll down the window behind her. Quickly, he darted down and hugged her.

Koemi accepted the extra warmth, shivering. "Remember, I don't know when the last time I've eaten is."

He kissed her forehead. Everyone seemed to like doing that lately. "Never do it again."

Koemi gave him a quizzical glance.

"Never leave me." His fingertips brushed her lips.

Not the three words she was looking for, but she supposed it would do for now. He closed the door and walked to the front of the house.

There, Yasuhara recollected the events to Oohashi. Oohashi asked their advice in growing horror.

The choices were leave the house to rot, or burn it.

Two weeks later, there was an article about a massive fire that overtook the mansion.


	14. When the Cat is Away the Other Cats Play

Koemi rubbed her eyes sleepily as she entered the office. "Morning, Mai."

"Koemi!" The younger girl looked up from her paperwork. "You're out of the hospital? When did they let you go?"

"They didn't." Koemi wandered into the kitchen and peered in the cabinets before settling on a couch lazily.

"What? Why are you here then and not there?" She fiddled with her pen nervously. "Is that dangerous?"

"Nah. I'm fine. It's just so _boring _in there. They always try to make me smile with these lame jokes. It pisses me off." She scowled heavily. "I hate it."

"That's strange." Mai told her.

"Eh. I've known a lot of the nurses since I was just a kid, so they still treat me like a baby." Koemi drew her knees to her chest, not bothered by her sore stomach.

"Wow. You're really a frequent visitor, huh." Mai laughed. "I've only been to the hospital myself a few times."

"Really?" Koemi set her chin over her kneecaps and blinked at Mai.

"Yeah. That's why I find it so surprising you'd be in there so much. Why were you there when you were a kid?"

Koemi shrugged. "Broke my arms a few times, and had a few concussions. Sprained my wrist twice, and twisted my ankle a few times too."

"What?!" Mai pointed at her as if it made sense in regards to her question. "How?!"

"My dad beat me a lot." Koemi picked at her cuticles absently, a far away look entering her eyes.

Mai's lucid brown eyes softened. "I'm sorry," she looked at her paperwork with watering eyes.

Koemi glanced up at her nervously. "What's wrong?"

"I just don't understand…" Mai rubbed her eyes. "Why do people have to hurt other people?"

Koemi hopped onto her feet and sat beside Mai. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad."

"It's not your fault," Mai sniffed. "I just…Why can't people just be happy?"

Koemi's expression turned melancholy and she smiled.

"What?" Mai looked surprised.

"Nothing." She said quietly, returning back to her seat across from Mai. "You just…You really reminded me of someone I used to know."

The clock tolled at them from the corner, and Koemi's phone suddenly buzzed furiously at her. Koemi jumped. It didn't happen often that someone called her. _"I'm bringin' sexy back…Them other boys don't know how to act." _

"What's that song?" Mai asked.

Koemi whipped it out of her pocket and stared at her phone intensely. _That's…Impossible._ Hesitantly, she answered it. "Moshi moshi?"

There was a surprised silence on the other end. "Koko?"

Koemi jumped to her feet. "David!" She quickly jumped to her feet and entered Oliver's office, closing the door behind her. "David!" She repeated once in the safety of the room.

"_Koemi_? Is that really you?" David gasped.

Koemi nodded eagerly. "It is, it is. How have you been? Ho—."

"You mean _all this time I worried over nothing_?!" He shouted at her. "Why did you not _call _me?! I thought you were _dead._ Does Oliver know you're alive? Huh? Your _boyfriend_? Maybe you forgot about him too, huh? You demented, psychotic, cr—."

"Shut it, David." She snapped. "It's been a long time since I've spoken English, so you're melting my brain."

"I knew it!" He screeched.

"David! Listen to me for like three seconds, please! I'm in Japan with Oliver right now. Jesus. He's out right now, looking for his brother. I haven't seen him in a month or two, but he's definitely here."

"Oh. So he knows you're not dead?" David asked.

"Yeah, he does. He knows it a lot." She told him. "A lot. Have you talked to him?"

"Not since he went to Japan." David said. "So he popped your cherry?" She heard the familiar lilt of mockery enter his voice.

"N-No—."

He gave a guffaw.

"It's not like that!" She roared at him. "God haven't you ever had sex before?!" She was surprised at how quickly he went from accusatory to bubbly.

"Good for him!" David chuckled. "He conquered the unconquerable!"

"No he didn't!" She felt her face heat. "St-Stop talking like that!"

"Aww I wish I was there!" He squealed. "You sound so cute and embarrassed right now!"

"Shut it!" She snapped. "God damn."

"Puppy love!" He chanted.

Koemi huffed indignantly. "I have to go. I don't want to be too suspicious, okay?"

"Ooo, why? Is this some sort of mission? Are you all disguised?"

"Yeah, it is. I am." She said. "I'm Ayumu Koemi."

"What's an Ayumu? Is it like that bird? Emu?"

"It means Walker," she replied simply. "Anyways, I have to go."

"Your people need you?" He teased.

"Yeah, they do." She snickered. "Talk to you later."

"Bye bye!"

She hung up and smiled to herself. _I wonder if we can ever be normal again._ As soon as she crossed the room and began to open the door, two masses fell into her. Koemi screeched as she was pinned what felt to be bodies.

"Who were you on the phone with?!" Takigawa demanded, rolling off her and jumping agilely to his feet as if he had done this before.

"Yeah! You suddenly just left!" Mai's head popped up. "Who's D…David?!" Her accent distorted the English name.

"It's rude to listen to people's conversations!" Koemi sulked, scrambling sluggishly to her feet.

"Who is David?!" Takigawa demanded. "And why did you have to speak English with him?!"

"It's none of your business!" She roared. "When did you even get here?"

John Brown looked up at her curiously, speaking in English to address her. "You know English?"

Koemi waved her hands at him. "No, I don't!"

"Yes you do! You said…" Mai had to think about it for a while. Though she had been required to take it for school, English wasn't a strong point. "It's not like that…have not you ever…" She stopped shaking her head. "I don't remember!"

Takigawa turned quizzical. "You answered John's question, though."

Koemi mumbled angrily and plopped into Oliver's usual chair. As the angry chattering from Mai and Takigawa grew, Ayako stared at her. It was obvious she didn't care.

The chatter grew…and grew...Koemi hated it. "SHUT UP." She roared. Fluently, she switched into English. "Yes, I speak English. I lived in England for a few years with my brother after my dad died. I moved back because my dad was English, and so everyone in England reminds me of him." She crossed her arms stubbornly, glaring at them each in turn.

John blinked. "You definitely sound English."

"What did she say?" Takigawa poked the Catholic.

John flawlessly translated her sentence and watched as Takigawa went from confused to oblivious. "Why would you not like being reminded of your dad? Doesn't everyone want to remember someone dear to them."

Mai grabbed his sleeve, frantically shaking her head. "No, Bou-san! Don't bring that up!"

"Bring what up? Her dad?" He looked at her blankly.

"And why shouldn't he?" Koemi leered at them dangerously.

Yasuhara stopped them, raising his hand. "I think we should play Truth or Dare."

"What?" Mai peered at him. "That has nothing to do with what we were talking about."

"True, but if we play, we can repeatedly ask Koemi all the questions. If she dares to Dare, then we'll just make it horrible enough that she'll pick Truth the next time." He pushed his glasses up his nose. "If, of course, she consents!"

Koemi glared morosely at him. "What makes you think I will?"

"Well, it's that or I research this _David_ you were on the phone with and learn who he is and who you are." He beamed.

"You little weasel." She pouted, sitting down.

"I'll take that as a yes," he grinned. "Let's begin. Koemi, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare." She said testily.

"I dare you to make-out with Takigawa-san." His lips twitched with mild amusement.

"I decline. Next." Koemi crossed her arms.

Takigawa agreed. "She's too young for me." He said.

"Yeah, you're an old fart." Koemi said pointedly, giving him a once-over. He was wearing his favorite jeans, torn in the knee and faded. He kept his top half covered with a warm-looking jacket.

"Then switch to Truth." Yasuhara offered. "It's one or the other."

Koemi grabbed Takigawa's shoulders and planted a firm one.

Ayako gaped at them openly, and John's eyes widened. Takigawa's arms flailed uselessly until she pulled away, her face red and her scowl deepened.

Mai considered it. "I always thought that Koemi liked Naru-chan, but I guess she liked Bou-san after all."

"After all? What's that supposed to mean?" Koemi scooted as far away from Takigawa as possible.

Mai just giggled.

"Little nymph." Koemi scowled. "Hmm…"

"Because of your hesitation, Koemi skips a turn. Takigawa-san, your turn." Yasuhara informed them.

"Hey! That's not a rule!"

"It's my rule."

Takigawa rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Your rules don't count!"

"Ah, but I am God, am I not?"

"Aw hell no!" She jumped to her feet and pointed at him. "My mom is God! I don't even follow your religion! Sorry John," she glanced sideways at the Catholic.

"Koemi, Truth or Dare?"

John held his hands up. "It's fine, I really don't mind."

"Truth," she glanced away from Yasuhara long enough to gift him with a brooding stare.

"Scary…Who is David?"

"David is my…" She considered her answers. "Boyfriend."

"Koemi has a boyfriend?!" Mai and Ayako screeched.

"He's English, I'm guessing." Takigawa said.

"Correct. Now it's my turn," she pinpointed Ayako.

"I'm not playing." Ayako held her hands up.

Mai shook her head when she turned to her.

"John, then. Truth or Dare?" Koemi pinned him sharply with a glare.

He stuttered nervously. "I'm not playing."

"You guys are horrible." She snapped. "Yasu. Truth or Dare."

"Truth." He crossed his arms.

_I hate this game…_Koemi rummaged through her brain for a good answer. "Have you ever cheated or stolen work before?"

"No." He smirked cockily. "All my work is my own."

"Damn it." Koemi felt daggers from Yasuhara.

"Truth or Dare, Koemi." Yasuhara beamed at her as if he had just won the lottery. Or perhaps a scholarship, considering his geekiness.

"Truth." She growled.

"Who is your father, and why do you hate him so much?"

Takigawa considered the question. "Back at Yuasa High, you said 'Papa was the demon.' And that he was stronger now, and he wanted to kill you."

Koemi rubbed her temples sorely with the pads of her fingers. "It's really not that interesting of a story. Beat me when I was a girl, I shot him, and now he's back to haunt me. Your everyday parenting gone wrong."

"W-What?" Takigawa gasped. "Your father _beat _you?!"

Ayako sat forward, concern aging her face. "I guess that explains why you're so mean." She half-heartedly teased.

Koemi snickered. "I guess so. Neh, Takigawa, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth." He answered cheekily.

"Are you going to have a Dare next time?"

"No."

She scowled and it was his turn.

"Truth or Dare, Yasuhara?" He looked at the teenager.

"Dare." He grinned. Always smiling, that one was.

"Ah, nice choice." Takigawa complimented him. "I dare you to kiss Koemi."

"What's with all this kssing?!" Koemi demanded sourly. "_I_ _have a boyfriend_."

Yasuhara ignored her protest and scooted down the couch towards her.

Koemi slouched into her corner, hiding her face from him with a hand. He pulled her hand away and drew one leg up securely to hold her in. Simultaneously to their lips meeting, the door clicked open.

Koemi jerked violently to peer around Yasuhara's head. Oliver stood, his hand lingering on the handle as shock plastered his face. Lin peeked in from behind him. "N-Naru, it's not what you think…" She stuttered.

Yasuhara returned to his seat, smiling. "How was your trip?"

Oliver continued his entrance, masking his hurt with irritation. "What are you doing in my office? You really don't have a live beside this?" He sneered down at them.

Mai jumped to her feet. "Hi, Naru-chan! How was your trip?"

He glared at her darkly, not bothering to answer.

Koemi looked down at her lap, shielding her face with her hair. Yasuhara raised his eyebrow inquisitively as he processed the reactions.

Koemi tilted her head slowly. "Oh! Today is March 31st, you guys. Tomorrow is May Day!" Her eyes gleamed with excitement.

Oliver's eyes widened once again. It was her birthday today.

"I…need to prepare!" She gasped. "I forgot! I forgot! Oh God!" She leapt out of her chair and grabbed her phone. Quicker than they could expect, she called Kazumi. "Nii-chan! Nii-chan! Today is—." She waited while he spoke on the other end. "You know?" Another pause. "You did?!" Three beats passed. "Oh! You're the best big brother _ever_!"

Takigawa tilted his head at Mai. She shrugged back.

She hung up and beamed, and made another call. In a sickly sweet voice, she addressed whomever she was calling. "Hello, yes. I'm calling for the Wizard of the Tree."

A voice screamed on the other end, and Koemi was forced to hold to phone away from her head.

"If you can find Shibuya Psychic Research, then you can find me." She teased. "_A baby_?! What?! With _who_?! He's only a few months? Cute! Okay! I'll see you in a bit!"

"Who were you talking to?" Takigawa asked as she hung up.

Koemi's lips curled into a devious grin that turned his blood cold. "My coven."


	15. Beltane Part I

The door flew open to reveal three young women standing at its entrance. One had a blue dress, one a green, and the other pure white. The one in white cradled an infant in her arms. All three wore identical, goofy smiles as they looked at Koemi. "Damiana-sama!"

"Aether! Sweetgrove!" Koemi hugged the mother and the one with a green dress. She reserved a dirty look for the one in blue. "Spirit."

The smile disappeared from Spirit's face. "I forgot what a bitch you were."

"Time hasn't aged you well." Koemi snapped.

"I see you _still_ are jealous of my knockers." Spirit pressed her palms against her voluptuous chest.

"I see you are _still _a suck ass hoe." Koemi crossed her arms.

"It's good to see you, Bloodfire." Spirit snickered warmly.

Koemi hugged her. "You too, Sappy."

"It's _Sapphire_!" She roared.

"Oh boohoo." Koemi turned back to the SPR team. "Team, this is—."

Sapphire stepped forward delicately, putting her hands on her hips. "I'm Sapphire Flowing Spirit."

"Sweetgrove Redwood," the young green-clad girl bobbed her head politely.

"I'm Aether Windwalker." The white one smiled. "And I call him Damian Windwalker."

Koemi blinked at her. "That's really close to my name!" She pointed out.

"I named him after you," she grinned. "Damiana-sama, you're an inspiration to us all."

Takigawa snorted.

Koemi elbowed him. "This is Takigawa Houshou, our Buddhist monk."

"I'm Matsuzaki Ayako." Ayako said. "Self-acclaimed Shinto priestess."

"Emphasis on self-acclaimed." Takigawa snickered.

It was Ayako's turn to elbow him. He rubbed his ribs sorely.

"I'm Brown John," John scratched at his blond hair awkwardly. "Catholic exorcist."

"Taniyama Mai!" Mai piped.

"I'm Yasuhara Osamu." Yasuhara bowed.

"This sourpuss is Shibuya Kazuya and his assistant Koujo Lin." Koemi introduced the other two who sulked childishly in the corner, away from any socialization.

Aether peered at him. "He looks really familiar." She held Damian's head carefully and tilted her head at Oliver.

Koemi sent her a warning look and continued. "We also work with the medium Masako Hara, but she's not here right now for some reason."

Aether blinked. "The famous one from the television?"

"Yep." Koemi rolled back on her heels and twiddled her thumbs behind her back.

"Are you holding a celebration for May Day?" Sweetgrove asked…sweetly.

"That's the plan," Koemi grinned toothily.

Without warning, Aether handed Damian off to Koemi. "I'm sorry. Do you have a restroom I could use?"

"Sure, it's behind that glass wall!" Koemi pointed.

"We have a bathroom!?" Mai screeched.

"You didn't know?" Koemi bounced baby Damian gently, swaying to some internal rhythm she vaguely remembered from infancy.

"So how was England?" Sapphire asked, plopping unceremoniously into Oliver's chair.

"It was splendid, darling!" Koemi faked an English person's Japanese accent.

Oliver's eyes widened yet again, though this time it was because none of the others looked surprised.

Sapphire wrinkled her nose. "So, where is this celebration taking place?"

"A park owned by this lady my brother knows. It's about a half hour away from here." She crossed her eyes and wiggled her tongue at Damian. He gurgled and fisted the air by her face. "Everyone is welcome."

Takigawa shifted his weight, looking intrigued. "I've never been to a Pagan ritual before."

"It's a sabbat." Sapphire scowled up at him. "Not a ritual."

"Sorry," he held his hands up in surrender.

Sapphire put her hands on her hips and spun around to march back to Koemi. "Monks." She glared at the ground.

Takigawa opened his mouth to protest, but Koemi held her hand up, shifting Damian to one arm while she moved towards the water specialist. "Let us enjoy Beltane, sister." She murmured.

Oliver was mildly amused to see how Koemi transformed into a mature young woman around her former coven members. He wondered if it had something to do with the fact that she had been their leader…Head Priestess?

Damian screamed for her, but Aether did not return. Koemi raised the baby above her head and looked up at him. "Deep in the dark forest between immense old trees, by the light of the full moon through thousands of leaves…"

Sweetgrove clapped delightedly. "I haven't heard that song since you left, Damiana-sama!"

"That's because she's the only one that remembers it," Sapphire pointed out.

"Sorcerers captured souls Evil dreams, they're the Wiccan, lost in darkness misery endless screams…"

The baby gurgled down at her, kicking his legs.

At the cue, Koemi handed Damian off to Sweetgrove and faced Oliver. "I expect you and Lin to join the sabbat."

"I decline." He closed his eyes and faced his back to her.

Koemi padded up to him, the epitome of calm. A warm smile spread across her face and Sapphire backed up. "Shit's about to go down." She warned the others nervously.

Koemi grabbed him by the ear and dragged him into his office, slamming the door behind him. It rattled the pictures on his wall. Pictures of her, and pictures of his family. No one else was allowed in his office. "I told you, Oliver. It's not what you think. It was that _dumb_ game. Truth or Dare."

Oliver just glared at her. "I don't care why it happened."

"Then why are you still angry?" She snarled venomously. He inwardly danced. It was always funny to him when she got so wound up. "Are you on your period?"

He stepped deliberately towards her. "I don't share." His icy gaze backed her into the wall.

"You don't scare me," she leered back. "I'm not afraid of you."

His fist connected with the wall beside her head, and she jumped. Oliver wasn't the kind who used physical threats. "You should be." He murmured. It was a casual voice, just as if he were asking for her to pass the sugar.

Koemi's face flushed as he pressed up against her. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Davis?"

"Taking back what's mine." He grabbed her chin and pulled her into a kiss. Oppositional as ever, she fought him at first. It was an enthusiastic effort, but he knew all the tricks to beating her. With minimal effort, he coaxed his tongue into her mouth, exploring the familiar territory. It disgusted him that Yasuhara of all people had dared lay claim on his belonging, but it was an easy fix. Koemi was too good for any of them. Far too good.

It shocked him to he realize how possessive he had become of her. It used to be he could barely touch her without the risk of losing an appendage, but now she seemed much more docile. He wondered if it had anything to do with losing Eugene. Perhaps the death had doused her spark.

Koemi grunted at him, the girlish noise dragging him from his thought. He opened an eye to see her staring up at him icily and was surprised at how much the dangerous look aroused him.

Maybe that was why he wasn't mad at her for kissing Yasuhara. She was still innocent-hearted. Maybe she was temperamental and demanding, but he liked that about her. She was his poisonous flower. She drew him in and he could never leave her.

"Get off," she shoved him away, wiping her lips with her sleeve. "Boys have cooties."

And for the first time since she had disappeared, Oliver laughed. It was a startling sound, sounding completely out of place. The mortified look on Koemi's face only fueled it. He grasped her wrists and pulled her into a hug.

"God, Koemi." He ran his hands up her arms, over her shoulders and cupped her face lovingly. "I love you."

* * *

><p><em>Loves…me…<em>Koemi repeated the words steadily in her head as she approached the park. It had plagued her mind since she had left the office and went home to prepare the celebration. _He loves me._ It was like her mental record player was stuck on the idea.

Aether ran up to meet her. "I was wondering when you were going to get here!"

"Hi," she looked dreamily at Aether. Kazumi padded up behind her, slamming the car door behind him and carrying the bundle of sticks and ribbons they were going to burn.

"What's up with her?" Sapphire squinted at Koemi as she drifted towards Sweetgrove.

Kazumi offered a mere half-shrug. "She was like this the entire drive over here. I'd bet she hit her head or something."

Sweetgrove looked up at Koemi with doe-eyes. "Damiana-sama, will we continue the tradition of choosing an outfit for each other?"

"I don't see why not…but I didn't bring anything for you guys." Koemi said.

Sweetgrove flashed a bright smile and took off across the field. "That's alright! I brought something for everyone!"

Oliver stepped out of Lin's car, listening to Mai vent about the increased price of Jasmine tea. "Oh, we're here!" Mai bounced towards Sapphire and Aether, already bubbling about the ritual.

He didn't find her though. Koemi. She wasn't in sight for the time being. Somewhere in the woods, there was an indignant screech. Two minutes later, a black figure streaked out of the woods. "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" Koemi's voice screamed.

Sweetgrove tore after her, graceful as a deer. She had a wide smile on her face. "My Lady, you must! You instilled the tradition and now you must keep it!"

"BLASPHEMY! HERETIC!" Koemi cried out. Her foot caught in the grass, and Oliver noticed she was wearing tall heels.

Sweetgrove pounced on her, tearing the cloak off and sprinting away. Koemi screamed bloody murder, curling into herself. "SWEETGROVE THIS ISN'T EVEN RITUAL WEAR. GIVE ME MY CLOTHES."

Sweetgrove dodged up to Oliver and dumped the cloak and Koemi's previous outfit into his arms. "It's all up to you, Doctor."

Oliver's eyes widened.

"The Goddess shares to us all," Sweetgrove winked.

Sapphire turned her head as Koemi stood, her face creased with a glare. Oliver's eyes widened even further. Koemi stood wearing a dress that barely reached past her thighs. The top was laced up tightly like a corset, and formed a heart above her breasts. The tail of the dress dropped lower behind her, barely concealing the striped thigh high stockings that fit to her legs. On her head, Sweetgrove had placed a pointed witch's hat. The heels she wore boost her to match Oliver's high heels.

Koemi's face was bright red as she padded to Aether, Sapphire and Mai. "I hope she has coconut bikinis for you two." She said as Sapphire let out a loud guffaw.

Sapphire averted her eyes mockingly. "When was the last time you saw the sun?"

Koemi bared her teeth at the other girl.

Sweetgrove whisked by, taking Sapphire and Aether by the arm to disappear in the woods.

Koemi clapped. "I knew she would take them too!" She bragged.

Mai tilted her head at her, interrupting the gloat. "How would your boyfriend feel if he knew you looked like this in front of other guys?"

Koemi considered it. "He would be jealous." She answered. "Possessive."

Mai snickered. "Good thing he doesn't know, right?"

Koemi joined her hands behind her back and twirled, winking at Oliver when she faced him. "Right…" Her expression changed to unreadable. "I've been with him for two years now. He never tells me he cares, always pretends I'm nothing to him until we're alone. Then he still never tells me that he loves me…." Koemi gnawed her lips nervously. "But today he did. I'm confused and slightly worried for his health. He _laughed_ too. It was like an alien entered his body."

"I'd almost say you're talking about Naru-chan," Mai laughed. A blush crossed her face close after, and she glanced away quickly.

Koemi fought a pang of jealousy in herself. Naru was _hers. _She owned him. "You like Naru-chan?" She forced out.

"N-No!" Mai protested, but it was a weak attempt at a lie.

The awkwardness that would undoubtedly ensue was saved by Sapphire and Aether's return. Aether smiled as warmly as ever when she reappeared, wearing a tavern-wench style dress. "My friends," she curtsied politely.

Koemi's eyes narrowed as Sapphire proudly flounced out of the woods. "Hello there." She was wearing less than Koemi, her stomach proudly displayed by her tube top and skirt. Her legs danced in and out of sight with each step, the long cerulean skirt twisting and twirling around the tan limbs. "I suppose it's time to begin, is it not?"

Takigawa nudged Yasuhara. "She's your age, right?"

He laughed. "I guess she is!" He winked at Takigawa.

"You should ask her on a date." Ayako suggested.

Yasuhara shrugged. "If I had to choose I think it would be interesting to go out with Koemi-chan. She seems to have an interesting history, wouldn't you say so, Kazuya-san?"

Oliver ignored him, angling his face at the ground and closing his eyes.

Takigawa elbowed him again. "Then you should ask Koemi out!" He hissed.

The University-bound student laughed. "I would if I didn't know she has a boyfriend."

Oliver's ears perked. Across the green, he noticed Mai milling towards them and away from the trio of witches.

"Ah." The monk looked skywards at the reminder. "David from England."

Lin's eyebrows drew together.

"That's right!" Takigawa turned to him. "She said she used to work for you, Lin. Does that mean you're from England as well?"

"No." He stated monotonously.

Mai reached them and Koemi let out an offended screech at something Sapphire giggled out.

With one last remark, Sapphire frolicked towards them. "Kazuya-kun!" She called. "It's so warm out," her voice was heavy with charm. "Maybe you should take some clothes off." A sly smile crossed her face.

He closed his eyes and resisted the temptation to sigh. Koemi stayed in her spot, listening to something Aether was murmuring.

"Did you know Damiana-sama has a crush on you?" Sapphire whispered, her eyes glittering darkly though the sun still hovered right above setting.

Mai let out a Koemi-esque screech. "That's not true!"

Sapphire nodded. "She told me so. She told me about all the things she'd do to you," a wink ended her speech.

Koemi took off towards them, ignoring Aether's quiet protest. "Don't listen to anything she says!" She ordered them.

"You like Naru-chan?" Takigawa blinked.

"No!" She and Mai exclaimed, both girls sounding equally offended.

"It all makes sense now." Ayako cupped her face thoughtfully.

"No!" Koemi said alone. "He's…He's a fetus face!"


	16. Beltane Part II

Koemi stood without warning. _My child_. The wind whistled through the branches of the surrounding trees. It was eerie. _My child_.

"What's wrong?" Aether inquired.

"Nothing. I have to go to the bathroom," she said, giving a dazed look to the woods. "I'll be right back."

"Do you want me to come?" Sweetgrove piped. "It's dark! You shouldn't go out on your own."

"I'll be fine." She shuffled towards the forest quietly. The wind howled at her, drawing her forward. _My child_.

She sped up, glancing around suspiciously. Today had been fun. The sun had fallen from the sky, and night had risen from the ashes of daytime. The entire time, her coven sung and danced. Koemi had participated most of the time, not caring about embarrassing herself in front of the SPR.

Koemi ducked underneath a low hanging branch and followed the breeze until the world went still. No breeze rattled the branches, no crickets sang.

_Drip…drip…_The sound came from behind her. Koemi turned her head slightly, suddenly regretting her decision to come out here. _Drip. Drip _It grew more persistent, and there was a loud sound of a dragging footstep.

_Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip._

Koemi looked out of the corner of her eye, fear settling in her stomach. The darkness revealed nothing to her adjusted eyes but tree trunks and thorny weeds.

Drip.

Koemi whipped her head forward and gasped. In front of her towered all of her life's dread. Her nightmare.

"Daddy's home." He hissed.

Koemi scrambled backwards from the figure. Blond hair fell down into his deep blue eyes "N-not possible," she whispered.

His rose-colored lips curled in a cruel smile. "Anything is possible." He snapped and several vines from the forest floor snagged her ankles and wrists.

Koemi cried out and yanked at them. "What do you _want _from me?" She clenched her teeth.

"I want to hear you scream." He growled. The vines tightened around her, causing her to thrash against them. "And then, I will kill you." The idea of it seemed to appeal to him.

Without warning, the back of his hand slammed into her cheek. White specks filled her vision as her head snapped to the side.

"Scream for me, _Princess_." He crouched in front of her and pinched her arm tightly, twisting the soft skin.

She clenched her teeth, but didn't make any noise.

He scowled, darkening at her lack of response. "Scream." He bolted to his feet and kicked her in the ribs. "_Scream_!"

There was a sickening crunch. She cried out, falling into the ground. The vines lifted her to standing height, though her knees remained limp. _Is he some sort of Vine Enchanter? _She wondered, her chin hanging against her chest.

He grabbed her by the hair and slapped her again.

Time had not softened her. She still knew how to remain quiet against a beating. He would grow bored. If she screamed, he would feel empowered and beat her harder.

"I suppose I could invite a friend of mine." He narrowed his eyes. "Sitri. I believe you know him.:

She shook her head. "You can't summon a demon."

With a loud pop, the excruciatingly handsome man padded towards her. "I always knew I'd get you in the end." He purred.

"No. No," Koemi straightened her knees and pulled against her vines.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "I don't think I'll charm you this time." He stepped closer. "Yes."

"OLIVER," Koemi screamed. Her brain stopped functioning because of the fear, she stopped caring what they were in Japan for. "OLIVER!"

Sitri groaned with delight. "You're so frightened, Puppet. It's invigorating."

Erai clapped. "Leave me now, Sitri."

Sitri scowled at him. "So soon?"

"Go." He stepped towards his daughter. "I can take it from here."

Sitri disappeared into the shadows, but Koemi felt his eyes like daggers. "OLI—," she began to scream.

Erai cut her off with a swift punch to the stomach. The air left Koemi with a _whoosh_, leaving her breathless.

He laughed manically. "Wonderful. You're so grown up now that you can handle it for longer!"

"Koemi?" It was far away and heading in the wrong direction. Takigawa and Mai started a chorus of her name, gradually distancing from her actual location.

Erai spun, kicking her expertly with a long leg. He purred as she doubled over, still hanging by the vines.

Almost gently, he touched her chest. "You've really grown up."

"Don't," she shuddered away from his. "Please don't touch me."

He pouted. "Don't you trust me? You trust Oliver."

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed. Maybe time _had _softened her. "GET AWAY FROM ME! YOU'RE _DEAD! DEAD_! D-E-A-D, DEAD."

He caressed her face. "What's dead may never die." He whispered in his ear, his tongue whisking across the lobe.

He snapped and she suddenly felt bare. With a quick inspection, she saw that her dress was no longer shielding her.

She screamed loudly, shrinking into herself. "PLEASE! OLIVER!"

* * *

><p>Takigawa spun back towards the direction of the scream. "Who's this Oliver she keeps screaming about?"<p>

Oliver interrupted. "Bou-san, Yasuhara-san, check that direction." He pointed to the left. "Ayako, Mai. To the right." He pointed to the right.

"What about you, Naru-chan?" Ayako asked, concerned.

"Lin and I will go back." He pointed behind him.

Aether looked between the coven members. "Sweetgrove, accompany John Brown and Kazumi-sama and go north." She pointed forward, the one place. "Sapphire, you go with Mai and Ayako."

"What about you, Aether?" Sapphire crossed her arms.

"I'm going with Kazuya-san and Lin-san." She answered, turning.

"You'll go with Bou-san." Oliver stated. "Not with me."

She ignored him and sprinted off in front of him. He let out an irritated sigh and followed after her, signaling for Lin to follow.

He caught up to Aether, his long legs aiding him immensely with speed.

"Come on, Oliver." She called to him. "Hurry up!"

Oliver continued his run. "Why are you calling me Oliver?" He demanded.

She tossed her hair. "Koemi and I used to email each other when she was in England. I know exactly who you are."

"PLEASE! OLIVER!" The desperation in Koemi's tone filled him with dread. He sure as hell knew she wouldn't have called him by Oliver unless it was serious. The fact that she had said please confirmed the grimness of the situation.

There was no more noise to guide them. They ran in silence for minutes, panting.

Aether reached the clearing first, skidding to a stop with a gasp.

Oliver tried to sprint past her, taking in the scene as he went. Koemi was suspended by the wrists, shaking her head. The only thing that covered her was her fishnet stockings and boots. Her hat lay on the ground behind her.

A man stood in front of her, not taking any notice of them. Oliver recognized him as Koemi's dad, the angry drunk from his vision. "You let him touch you." He leered down at her. "You let him _destroy _you. I knew you were a whore all along," He grabbed her hair and yanked it hard, but then ran his fingers over her swollen lips. "You look so much like your mother…" He whispered.

Aether stopped him. "Let me handle this." She glided into the clearing, pulling from her tavern-style dress a pack of salt. She tossed it in a circle around herself, and then a star inside. A pentagram. "Spirit to Water, Water to Spirit." She said, her voice lacking the confidence Koemi's spells always had. "Protect me. Leave, evil spirit. Thus I command thee."

Erai looked up from her, quirking his eyebrow. "You think that will be enough to stop me from killing her?" From his pocket he drew a small gun. His gun. The gun that Koemi had killed him with.

Koemi let out a wail, her chest heaving as she sobbed. "I didn't k-k-k-know."

He pressed it against her temple and Oliver didn't stay where Aether had left him. He bolted across the clearing and tackled Erai to the ground. Energy crackled in the air, and he felt his power lighting up. "Scum like you aren't even allowed to _think _about Koemi." He raised his hand above his head and swung it at Erai, slapping him hard in the face. Erai tried to raise the gun, but Oliver grabbed his wrist and slammed his hand into the ground until he dropped it with a growl.

"Koemi kissed your brother," Erai growled.

Oliver fisted his open palm and punched Erai in the face. Blood drooled from his split lip. Again and again, Oliver punched Erai. "You will _never _hurt her again." He beat Erai until his fists bled and Lin put his hand on his shoulder.

Oliver looked up at the man, rubbing his right hand sorely. He received the silent message. He stumbled to his feet and approached Koemi. Erai disappeared at Lin's whistle.

Aether rubbed circles in her back, not minding the bared form of her body. She noticed him coming and stood, going to wait by Lin. "Oliver, Lin will go wait at the office. I'll tell the others Koemi is being taken care of, and you can celebrate the remainder of the night together in the way lovers should."

He knelt beside Koemi's shaking body, taking his jacket off and covering her slumped shoulders.

Lin walked towards the parking lot, and Aether moved in the direction of the others.

Koemi trembled in his arms as he drew her in, bringing her to curl in his lap. "You're save now." He promised. "Nothing will harm you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I d-d-d-didn't m-mean to kill a-a-anyone." She cried, hiding her face in his jacket.

Oliver held her patiently, rocking her slightly.

Eventually, the tears stopped and she sat with her back to his chest, leaning her head against his head as she played with his hand.

"Witches knew all about flowers and trees, how to use all their roots and their leaves and their seeds." She sang quietly, kissing his knuckles, running her thumb along the abrasions to soothe the dull pain. "When women had babies, the witches were there, to help them and hold them and give them sweet care."

He kissed her temple, feeling her jaw work as she formed the words.

"Who were the witches, where did they come from? Maybe your great, great, great grandma was one. Witches were wise, wise women they say, and there's a little witch in every woman today."

He kissed her cheekbone, parting his lips at her warmth.

"Some people thought that the witches were bad. Some people were scared of the power they had, but the power to help and to heal and to care isn't something to fear, it's a treasure to share."

Oliver kissed the corner of her swollen, split lip. The iron tang of blood met his lips, but it didn't slow him down at all.

"Who were the witches, where did they come from? Maybe your great, great, great grandma was one. Witches were wise, wise women they say, and there's a little witch in every woman today." She finished.

He gently turned her to face him, not taken aback by the bruises blossoming across her pale skin.

Koemi almost hungrily accepted his next kiss, wincing at the pain in her lips. "Oliver," she whispered quietly.

* * *

><p><em> "Now that I think about it," Koemi informed her mirror worriedly. "I don't think either of them know where I live."<em>

_ "Either of who?" Hua poked her head into Koemi's bathroom. She had long, shiny black hair that was somehow always styled perfectly._

_ Koemi yelped. "Hua! How long have you been standing outside the door?!"_

_ Hua wiggled her thin brows suggestively before hoisting herself up onto the counter. "So, you're getting fancied up. Who's the lucky guy?"_

_ "It's just a friend," Koemi scowled, brushing through her hair._

_ "You are not wearing your hair that way." Kazumi's fiancé took the brush and smacked her hands with it. "How about this…" She attacked the younger girl with the brush and a curling iron. A laborious thirty minutes of whining and protests later, Koemi had a fancy up-do. The gently curls were piled on her head, just a few strands loosely framing her face._

_ "It's just a dinner date!" Koemi wailed, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to get the fifty plus bobby pins off her scalp by five._

_ "You look so pretty," Hua beamed, disappearing into Koemi's room. "Now to find a respectable but slightly provocative outfit…"_

_ "NO! The half-Japanese girl stumbled after the full Chinese woman. "We're just friends! I don't want to make things awkward!" _

_ Hua had disappeared into her closet already. Disapproved clothes were flung to the ground and candidates were tossed onto the bed. "Alrighty," the chocolate-eyed woman reappeared and examined Koemi. Stepping forward, she began to tear off the girl's clothes. "You can't wear this!" _

_ "KAZUMI! SAVE ME!" Koemi screamed, realizing that there was no way out. When Hua got like this, she was like a shark that smelled blood in the water. It was dangerous. There was no stopping her frenzies._

_ There was the slam of a door and two pairs of footsteps. "WHAT IS IT?!" Said brother pushed through her bedroom door and braced himself for attack._

_ Behind him was none other than Oliver, whom raised his eyebrows at the scene that had unfurled before him._

_ A pregnant Chinese woman was straddling Koemi, whom had squirmed onto her stomach in an attempt to claw away. Most of Koemi's clothes had been discarded, but enough remained that she wasn't completely naked._

_ Hua grinned up at Kazumi. "Hello sweetie! I'd love to brush your hair."_

_ Kazumi backed up, nearly plowing into Oliver. "No way."_

_ Hua pouted and twirled a strand of her wavy hair around her finger idly. "Who's your friend?"_

_ "Fetus face, you gotta save me," Koemi hissed. "This woman is hormonal and crazy."_

_ Hua's eyes darted between the two teens before she beamed. "You're here for Koemi! I like your shirt… but…"_

_ Koemi's eyes widened with horror. "OLIVER RUN!"_

* * *

><p>Somewhere in the distance, a bird squawked. Oliver stirred, feeling something sharp digging into his side. He ignored it and pulled Koemi closer, feeling her warmth. It was chilly in his room.<p>

A bird? He cracked open his eye. The sun glared unforgivably at him, offended by the couple's indecency.

He propped himself up on his elbow. Koemi mumbled something about bobby pins and turned into him, cuddling up against him.

"Ko, wake up." He nudged her.

She swatted at his hand, pouting. "Five more minutes."

"Koemi," he sat up, pulling her into sitting position with him.

"Nooo," she slit her eyes. "What do you want?"

"We're still in the woods."

She didn't seem to care. "So?"

"The others will be missing us soon." He rose and began pulling his pants on.

She stopped him, standing on her knees. "What's the rush?" She asked. "You actually want to go _back _to those idiots right now?"

He shook her hand away. "Of course not. They'll get suspicious."

She kissed him on the head.

"Koemi?" He looked down at her with surprise, his face flushing as his blood rushed through his veins to meet the command of her lips.

She giggled girlishly, running her hand through her tangled hair. "You're so cute when you blush, Oliver." She told him.

He cried out when she moved closer.

* * *

><p>Mai hummed worriedly, looking at the clock on the microwave. "Bou-san, they've been gone for an awfully long time. Do you think we should go check on them?"<p>

He shrugged, stuffing his face with sushi. "They're probably still at the hospital. Aether said she had gotten hurt pretty bad."

"Then shouldn't we go visit?" Mai huffed, crossing her arms. "Why does she get to be alone with Naru-chan?!"

Ayako sipped her tea. "Ah. This is about Naru, then."

"Someone sounds pretty jealous!" Takigawa teased.

The Blood Moon coven had returned to their separate houses, and those who remained were only Mai, Takigawa, Ayako and Lin. John had work, and Yasuhara had something better to do, apparently.

"I'm not jealous!" Mai flushed, stomping her foot. "I don't get it! Why does he like her so much?"

"Just because she gets his attention doesn't mean he likes her." Ayako stated. "I don't see how he could. She's annoying and pretty useless."

"Harsh," Takigawa looked at her.

"It's true." Ayako shrugged. "When has she ever been of help? If anything she gets in the way."

Takigawa snorted. "You're one to speak."

Mai's anger faded. "You don't seem to like her very much." She commented.

Ayako swatted Takigawa's insult away. "All she does is get into trouble. She isn't even there most of the time during the cases."

Takigawa looked pensive. "That changing world thing is pretty weird, don't you think?"

"I don't care. It's weird and she has no control of it." Ayako crossed her arms.

Mai considered it. "If you think about it, she's mean to people because that's all she's ever known. Kindness is something she taught herself."

"What do you mean?" Bou-san asked.

Ayako cut her off. "All she does is angst and get attention. I'm sick of it!"

"Stop being such a baby," Takigawa snapped. "Let Mai speak!"

"Her father broke both her arms. Gave her concussions." Mai explained. "She never knew much kindness. Just cruelty. Maybe it's in her genes to fight everything."

"I don't think that's it." Takigawa countered.

"I'm confused though." Mai looked at Ayako. "You seemed to like her just fine yesterday."

"I don't hate the girl," Ayako said. "She just annoys me."

"A Wiccan," Takigawa said. "I'm really curious about her power. You say she's useless, but she's been powerful enough to save Mai a few times from things I could only ward off for a little while."

"Speaking of power, what is it Naru does?" Ayako asked shortly. "He always says I'm useless, but he's never done any exorcisms!"

"Not true!" Mai protested. "He made the little dolls that saved the students at Yuasa!"

"Lin made those." Takigawa corrected. "Naru had the idea, though. He's like the manager."

"The boss." Ayako agreed.

Before Mai could go any further into the conversation, the door opened. Oliver entered, cleaned up and wearing a different casual suit then yesterday.

Koemi danced in after him, her hair freshly brushed and her clothes normal and not…slutty.

"Welcome back!" Mai stood.

"Tea." He said simply, pushing past the group and into his office.

Koemi stopped and bowed to the others. "Thank you all for your patience last night." She straightened. "I—."

Takigawa jumped to his feet. "What on Earth happened to you?" He demanded.

Koemi watched Oliver's door close. "Umm…" She followed him, turning the knob. "Stuff." She slipped in and disappeared from the room.

"See what I mean?" Ayako scowled, crossing her arms. "She even managed to get into trouble at a celebration."

"That looks like it hurts," Takigawa said, rubbing his cheek.

"Yeah…" Mai agreed.

The door opened and Koemi appeared, her eyes the size of the saucers Mai served the tea on.

"What?" Takigawa looked at her.

She didn't speak, pressing her back against the door and holding her hand over her mouth.

"What?" Takigawa asked again, looking at the door. "What happened?"

Koemi quickly covered the size of the room until she reached the front door, her hand remaining over her dropped open mouth.

"Koemi-chan?" Mai asked.

She yanked the door open and quietly closed it behind her, leaving the office once again.

Mai looked at the door. "What happened?"

"Who knows." Takigawa sighed.


	17. The Cursed House Case I

"My name is Yoshimi Akifumi." A dull-eyed man announced, sitting by a young, frightened girl. "This is my niece, Hazuki. She's the one I was telling you about. Take a look at this." He unzipped the collar from her neck, a dark purple ring surrounding her throat. "At first we thought it was some kind of rash and took her to the hospital, but…" He turned her around, unzipping the back of her floral pink dress.

"Oh my God," Bou-san whispered.

Down the ridge her spine, a warning was engraved. "This foolish child is doomed to spend an eternity in…Hell."

Mai repeated that. "In Hell?"

"Only something with a serious grudge could do this," Takigawa said."

Oliver accepted the case. Koemi hadn't resurfaced in a week. He assumed she would when she was ready, but for now it would be best if he let her absorb his tentative question. It wasn't like it was a serious question, but she sure reacted like it was.

He resisted a sigh and leaned in his chair. "Let's get ready." He told Mai.

* * *

><p>It was a ridiculously long drive to the hotel on the ocean cliff. Lucky for him, Mai fell asleep about half way through the car ride.<p>

They unloaded from the car and padded to the front, where a greeting couple awaited. "My name is Yoshimi Taizo, and this is my wife, Hiroe." He gestured to an old woman donning a purple kimono.

She bowed her head thankfully. "Thank you so much for coming."

"Welcome." Taizo added.

The two led them into a living room of sorts. To Oliver's horror, Koemi was already seated in the room, tea in hand. "Taizo-san, Hiroe-san." She tipped her head politely. For a quick moment, she glanced up at Oliver. When their eyes met, she flushed and looked at her lap.

"Koemi-chan?" Takigawa blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"Making cash." She answered. "You don't think Kazuya actually _pays _me, do you?" At the mention of his name, she blushed a deeper red.

Mai eyed her suspiciously as she went to sit beside Lin on a pillow.

"Taizo-san, I'd really like to go out and explore the property some, and prepare myself for whatever it is that resides here." Koemi stood with flourish to reveal her outfit. She wore a black dress that hugged her body when she glided past Oliver. It bore a white star and crescent moon on the chest. With a slight nod to him, her face dusted with red, she continued into the hallway.

She tried to calm her fluttering heart, speeding her pace to the room allotted by the Yoshimi family. With a slight bounce, she sat down in the center of the room. "Mother," she glanced at the ceiling for guidance. "Please guide me as you always have. I know that this form of prayer is fairly unconventional, but I'm feeling lost." She sighed, deflating. "Confused, for sure. The guy who barely uttered the word _love _is suddenly talking about…" She flushed again. "He's grown up so much since his brother died, Mum. It's weird."

She shook her head. "I need to concentrate."

This time, she prayed for her soul. A cleansing chant. Her eyes closed as the familiar words fell from her lips as a steady stream. It felt so natural at this point. As the spell took effect, her veins tingled warmly. Time blurred into a jagged line.

For increased success, she chanted the spell several times before moving onto boosting her power. She had a power Wanga in her bag, but she never placed her sole trust on an object like that.

She hadn't really thought about it before, but Wicca was like a beat to her heart. Natural, uncontrolled. It was what drove her life. Without it, she was nothing. It made sense, considering she was technically a blood-daughter to a goddess. Strange to think…

There came a gentle knock at her door, and Koemi jumped as if roused from a deep sleep. "Yes?" She called.

"Ayumu-san, dinner is ready." One of the Yoshimi wives announced timidly.

"Ah. I'm not quite finished," she said apologetically. "Please eat without me."

"Alright," the woman bowed at the waist and left her doorway.

Koemi returned to her prayer, lapsing back into her drowsy state.

Some time later, a scream roused her to her feet_. I always seem to get hurt when I investigate these kind of things. _She thought sourly as she patiently approached the aggravated sound. It was Ejiro, in the kitchen, with the knife.

_Yahtzee_! Koemi shouted in her head. _Wait. What?_

Lin had pinned Ejiro to the ground and was tying his wrists together. The big knife was buried in the ground blade-first by the door.

"Koemi-chan!" Mai cheered. "I thought you had gotten lost."

Koemi looked at her sleepily. "No. What happened?"

"I don't know!" The wife of Ejiro gasped, wiping her face. "One minute we were talking about dinner, and then he just walked out. When he came back…he was like this!"

"Possession," Koemi assumed. They retreated to base with a very unconscious Ejiro and settled down.

"Can you exorcise it?" Takigawa asked her. "The last time I exorcised an urn, it was completely shattered. I have no idea what would happen."

She scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "I exorcised a dresser once. The building caught fire and collapsed."

He looked at her with interest. "So, Ayako then." He looked at the Shinto priestess. "Her power is weak enough. It wouldn't hurt him."

Ayako swatted at him irritably. "Fine. I'll do it. Don't blame me if it possesses someone else." She turned and stormed away to change.

Takigawa chuckled and towed Mai from the room. "Let's go see if she needs help," he told her. He cast Koemi a knowing look.

Before Koemi even noticed what was happening, she and Oliver were alone. Lin was off doing whatever Lin did when people weren't watching him.

A solid minute of silence passed before she spoke. "So…umm…hi."

He didn't answer her, silently examining her face.

His scrutiny unsettled her. "N-Naru. I was thinking...you know…about what you said." She gnawed her lip nervously. "I just…I don't really know how to respond. I mean, we're still too young to talk about any of that yet, right? You're only eighteen, and I'm only seventeen."

"I understand if you don't want to make that commitment yet." He told her quietly. "It was a question. You didn't have to answer."

"Don't talk to me like I'm Mai." She scowled at him. "I _know _you, Oliver. I know you better than that."

"I proposed an idea." He stated.

"I do love you," she murmured. "And I can't imagine not being with you at this point in life. I just…I think we should wait before making any bigger commitments."

He nodded.

"I—." She sighed. "Yeah."

"Yeah." He repeated in a voice devoid of emotion.

* * *

><p>Koemi wandered the halls later, rubbing her neck anxiously. She couldn't feel anything out of the ordinary around the house. "You're so <em>stupid<em>," she told herself. "So _stupid_!" She hit her forehead. "He does what you want and you rejected him!"

"NARU!" She heard Mai's scream from the door on her left. Without delay, she burst through the door in time to see the last of a purple entity entering Oliver's stomach. He slid down the wall and gave a cough.

"Naru!" Mai repeated, panicked. The SPR gathered around him.

"Did it hurt you?" Takigawa demanded.

"No," Oliver examined his hand. "How is Ejiro?"

The man looked around, looking lonely and lost. "What's going on? What happened to me?" He asked.

Koemi dropped down beside him. "You dumb ass." She accused him. "What just happened?"

"A fox spirit went through him!" Mai chirped.

Koemi took his arm and wrapped it over her shoulder. "Let's get you back to base, Naru."

He accepted the help, leaning heavily on her as they journeyed into the hallway.

"Do you feel okay?" She demanded.

"I'm fine." He said shortly. The others turned to open the door to base.

Carefully, she led him across the room, sat him in a plush green chair, and sat across from him. He leaned forward and cradled his face in his hand.

"Are you sure you're alright?" She asked quietly. Takigawa sat to her right on the ground, watching Lin as he began to go through the footage from the exorcism.

"Nothing but static." Lin reported monotonously.

He didn't answer.

"You feeling sick?" Mai asked.

"No." A shadow fell across his face as he straightened. "I think I'll go lie down for a while." He stood, hunched slightly.

Koemi rose as well. "I'll walk you back. I have to go back to my side of the house anyways. You don't look so good…" She guided him out with her hand on the small of his back.

Ayako left in the opposite direction.

They walked in silence for a while. "I'm sorry about what I said," she announced. He stopped her, carefully pressing his lips to hers.

She pulled closer to him until he suddenly lifted his head.

She peered at him curiously. "Naru? Is som—." He reached for her as if to cup her face for another kiss, but instead wrapped his long, slender fingers around her throat.

Her eyes widened and she clawed at his hands, gritting her teeth. His hands pressed deeply into her soft skin, rendering her vocal chords and airways useless. _I can't even say a prayer!_

She aimed a hit to his face but couldn't reach over his extended arms as they strangled her. She yelled at him inwardly. _I will never marry a jerk like you_! _Fetus face_!

Footsteps pounded down the hallway until Lin reached them. He aimed a perfect hit to Oliver's neck, knocking him out. Takigawa caught her as her legs gave way. "It's that spirit again," he muttered darkly, rubbing her back as Koemi coughed on the ground. "It looks like it stayed inside him."

He helped Lin take Naru back into the base. They tucked him into a bedroll in the spacious closet of the room.

"Shouldn't we tie him up?" Ayako asked, examining Koemi's dark expression worriedly.

"This is Naru we're talking about." Lin stated. "I don't think tying him up would be enough."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Takigawa broke his intense stare from Naru's sleeping face to look at Lin.

"Exactly what he said." Koemi snapped. "I shouldn't be alive." She glared at Oliver.

"What?" Ayako frowned.

"Whatever it is that possessed Naru hasn't gained full control over his body yet. Otherwise, she wouldn't be alive right now. Anyways, Naru is far more powerful than any of us could possibly imagine."

Koemi cut him off. "Lin, you have to seal him up." She begged. "Please."

"Is he really that powerful?" Takigawa asked.

"He could kill you in four minutes." She answered. "And if he does that without…well, he'd die too. He _can't _use his power, Lin. Please!"

He gave a gruff nod.

"What are we supposed to do?" Takigawa asked.

"Paralysis." Lin answered.

"I'm worried that if we leave, we'll leave him defenseless." Takigawa admitted.

"That was quick." Koemi said. "Anyways, I can guard base while you guys go out and investigate. I never was the observational one." She looked at his peacefully sleeping face.

"I could leave my shiki." Lin told her.

"I can put up as good a fight as they can." She said. "I'm not going to abandon him, and if we have shit like that fox spirit or whatever running around, I want you to be protected as well."

He seemed angered by the suggestion. "We need all the hands we can get."

"Look, Lin. Together, the two of us could probably put up a pretty good fight if he wakes up. If you get possessed, then there's absolutely no chance of anyone in this god damn household surviving." She snapped. "I'm not saying this because I care. I'm saying this because I know what the hell I'm talking about." Hands on hips, she twirled away from the scene. "You'd be foolish to reject my proposition."

Takigawa broke in. "What if you took shifts?"

"Too complicated." They both sent him a glare.

Lin crossed his arms resolutely. "My shiki will protect him."

Koemi gritted her teeth. "If you get possessed, I'm leaving." She growled.

He accepted her answer, leaving his Shiki in a barrier around Oliver. He wrote a paralysis Kanji in red on Oliver's forehead and left the boy to rest.

Koemi stayed vigilantly at Lin's side for the night, watching his review the footage and label parts that were important. When that was complete, he moved on to translating the case into Romaji for Oliver.

An hour of Koemi intensely monitoring Lin passed before she swooned and fell against him. "How are you still awake?" She whined. "You must be a robot, Lin-kun."

He glanced down at her critically. "You should sleep."

"Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto." She told him.

He sighed and returned to his task. "Three spiritualists died working on a case. Naru wanted to tell you to go home."

"Naruuuuuuuu the big fat blob," she sang, her eyelids drooping as she rested her head on Lin's shoulder.

He gave another sigh and let the room lapse into silence. Mai, Takigawa and Ayako were all resting in their rooms around this time. That was the nice part about the hotel. There was a base _and _sleeping quarters.

Koemi gave a quiet snore, her head lolling stupidly on her body. "Gene," she murmured quietly.

Lin glanced down at her, his harsh expression softening. "Sleep well," he wished to her.


	18. The Cursed House Case II

"Wow. She's really knocked out, isn't she?" A warbling voice asked. Eugene recognized the warble as laughter. Why was the voice laughing? Who was the girl that was knocked out?

"Leave the poor girl alone," a different voice frowned. Eugene didn't understand. How could a voice frown? "Naru almost killed her last night. She has a right to sleep."

Eugene rubbed his eye and sat up, feeling strange as he looked upon the crowd of unfamiliar faces. The one face that reminded him of anything was a young girl, probably around 16. Taniyama Mai. He had shown her the truths about the places they were investigating in hopes she would warn Koemi.

_But how am I alive?_ He asked himself, looking down at himself. The answer was obvious the moment he laid eyes on his figure. His chest…well, there were mounds on it that did not belong. His stomach was flat, and his legs looked squishy.

"Umm," the voice that came out was not his own. It was that of Koemi. "Lin, we've got a problem."

Lin looked at Eugene in a look reserved for Koemi's typical temper. Concerned for her words but weary of how she phrased herself.

"Umm." He scratched her head awkwardly. _This is weird._ "Umm. Maybe it'd be best if you…Come here." He stood awkwardly, bracing himself as he crossed the room to the door.

Lin parted from his dear headphones and followed her…him…out into the hallway. "What is it?" He asked.

"Umm…" Eugene looked down at his body. _I mean, I liked Koemi but this is a bit too close._ "Well, you see…I'm not Koemi."

"What?" Lin instantly seemed to take the defensive, rolling onto the balls of his feet as if ready to catch her.

"Well, you see…" He repeated. "It's me, Lin. Eugene…"

"What?" The aggressive response faded to confusion.

He waved both his hands. "I'm not Koemi! I don't know what happened…I was talking to her in one of her dreams…" His face flushed. "And then this happened."

"You haven't passed on?" Lin inquired.

Koemi's body deflated. "I don't know why, but I can't."

Lin looked irritated. "How did you possess her?"

"As I said, we were talking…" He felt the warmth boil his cheeks with embarrassment.

"Talking?" Lin repeated.

"Well, I might have kissed her." He said, crossing his arms in front of his chest before discovering Koemi's breasts. He yelped and let them drop by his sides. "I…I don't know how it worked for sure."

Lin frowned. "We don't have time to exorcise you. We'll just wait for Koemi to gain enough control to retake her body."

"Works for me." He looked down at himself again. "This is weird."

Lin nodded in gruff agreement. "It's usually the other way around."

Eugene agreed. "Now what?"

* * *

><p>Eugene sank in the bath, submerging his nose as he hid half his face in the hot springs. He felt Koemi's chest buoyantly float towards the surface and let out an irritated hiss, pressing his palms against his chest to keep them down. <em>Of all people…<em>He thought bitterly, blushing as her breasts squished pleasurably against his hands.

Warmth spread inside the pit of his stomach and he let out a frustrated squeal, which ended up girlish and arousing. "Damn it, Koemi!" He whined.

Mai entered the room, wrapped up in a towel. "Oh. Koemi-chan." She nodded her head politely at the girl as she dropped the towel and waded into the water. She tied her hair into two separate buns.

Eugene flushed bright red and submerged his head under the water. _Oh God. I just saw her _naked._ That was the first girl I've actually…_He reappeared for air, relieved to find Mai had sank in to her neck. "Have you been here the whole day?" She asked.

"Y-Yeah." He averted his eyes from her. "I just needed to think."

"Tell me about it." Mai sighed. She proceeded to fill Eugene in on the case, speaking about the hollow space in the cave where the spirits pass through. She told him about the shrine in the cave, and the Shinto shrine by the teahouse. She mentioned the Roku-bu mounds outside the shrine and by the cliff, and

"So, you like Naru?" Eugene asked tentatively.

"What?" Embarrassment flushed her face. "I didn't say that!"

Eugene sighed. All the girls liked Oliver.

_What does it matter? You're dead. _He reminded himself. _This is a temporary arrangement. Come on, Gene. Let us go investigate!_

Eugene made his way out of the house to stand by the cliff. He didn't want to help with the case very much. He just wanted to get Koemi out of this house. He could feel the malicious spirits lurking around, trying to look for a breach to attack.

It wasn't something good. It was bad. Bad…

"What are you doing, Koemi?"

Eugene turned and looked at Mai. "Oh, hi." He smiled at her kindly.

Mai tilted her head. "Are you alright?" She asked, puzzled. "You kind of looked like…" She blushed.

"I'm fine." Eugene assured her. He felt Koemi stir within him uncomfortably. "I don't have much time," he told her. "Be careful, Mai." He said. "There's evil working here. Remind me later: Fureai."

"O-Okay?" Mai blinked. "Is everything okay?"

Eugene's eyes fluttered and Koemi collapsed in a heap on the floor.

* * *

><p><em>Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill…<em>Oliver.

* * *

><p>Koemi woke with a start, screaming violently. Chanting filled the air, a deep continuous rumble.<p>

The SPR crew jumped. Yasuhara took to comforting her. "You're awake?" He asked.

"Wh-What's happening? Why are you here?" She asked with wide eyes. "How long was I asleep?"

"You've been asleep since this afternoon," Mai answered. "I was talking to you and you just fell. You told me…" She struggled to remember. "Fureai."

"Fureai?" Koemi blinked.

"You were possessed." Lin looked over at her, standing defensively as a hand hit the window.

Mai screamed loud enough to wake the dead. Apparently, though, Koemi's scream had already done that. Half-rotted faces appeared at the window, hands hitting the glass until it cracked and shattered.

Koemi scrambled back in front of Naru's ward. "What's happening?!" She screeched.

"A chant!" Takigawa called to her. "It must be the monks!"

"Well make it _stop_!" She shouted as Ayako chanted the nine cuts. Takigawa chanted at them. "In the center of the darkest storm…is a brilliant rainbow, bright and warm. Look past the darkness that you see, there's more than what you think might be. There now is freedom so you can find the path to stimulate your mind. So don't despair… let the hope shine bright, the sun will rise, just past the night." Koemi prayed.

A whoosh of air sliced into her arm right as she heard Mai scream, "Whirl wind sickles!"

"They're going for Naru!" Lin warned, watching Koemi disappear under a crowd of the undead as they ripped at the door.

She wailed and clawed at them. They ignored her feeble attempts and trampled her. The rotting flesh suffocated her.

Her eyes instinctively closed. Takigawa reached for her, chanting quickly. There was a loud scream and a flash of blinding white light, throwing the zombies across the room.

Lin grabbed Mai's arm and pulled her back.

_"I am the Goddess, the Goddess is me, now I dare invoke the Power of Three. With my word I seal the fate, with Her Power I clear the slate." _The words fell from her lips in a smooth, fluid way. "_Together we shall clean the Evil commanded by a power medieval. I call upon the Power of Three to clear the names of the innocent that be."_

Her head snapped back and white light streamed from her eyes. "_SO MOTE IT BE._"

The zombies retreated from the window, backpedaling away from the light Koemi expelled. Takigawa took his knife and buried it in the windowsill, muttering a quick seal.

Koemi fell to her knees, her eyes still glowing with light.

Ayako rushed to her side. "What just happened?" She demanded. "Are you okay?"

The light faded and Koemi's jaw worked silently before she collapsed in a heap on the floor.

Lin ignored her. "Where's Father Brown?" He demanded.

As if to answer him, a scream erupted from the hallway.

"That's Hatzuki!" Mai gasped.

Ayako pulled Koemi into the corner and rushed off to help the others.

* * *

><p>Koemi woke with a sudden start, jerking violently. "They're going to kill him!" She screamed, running into a loop of arms as she sat up. The strong arms held her in her place and forced her to calm down.<p>

Koemi twisted to glare at the face. "Who do you thin—."

Oliver stared back at her, not humored.

Koemi paled. "Please tell me you're the good Naru and not the scary possessed one," she glanced at Lin and Yasuhara. Masako stared back in a way only a teen with angst could.

"I'm not possessed." He scowled. "You're in my way." He snapped.

"Someone woke cranky," she teased, leaning against him instead of trying to get out of his way.

He sent her a dark look over the top of her head.

"Where are the others?" Koemi asked.

Lin answered her. "They went to exorcise the monk tombstones."

"That's good. How long was I out?"

"A few hours." He stated.

"So, you've been awake for…?" Koemi looked up at him.

"He woke up a few minutes ago." Yasuhara chirped. "I guess that means Ayako-san's exorcism worked."

Koemi waited a beat and interrupted. "Wait, what do you mean? Ayako is exorcising something?"

"The Roku-bu mounds." Lin confirmed.

"Why is she doing a thing like that?" Koemi demanded.

"The episode with the zombies." Yasuhara picked back up on the conversation. "Last night. They think it was caused by the monks."

Koemi stared at him blankly. "What monks?"

"The Roku-bu mounds."

"You said that before…I don't know what those are." She tilted her head slowly.

Lin glanced away from his computer screen. "You were possessed."

"What?" Masako turned and looked at her. "When was she possessed?"

"All yesterday." He answered.

"I woke up last night," she looked between the medium and the diviner. "But what happened?" She examined herself. It felt like something was missing.

"You sort of got buried beneath the zombies trying to protect Shibuya-san." Yasuhara said. "And then…I'm not quite sure."

Oliver's eyebrow ticked in irritation as he read, pushing her away. "You're an idiot." He growled at her.

She scowled at him and jumped to her feet. "You're an asshole."

Before they could simmer into an argument, Mai's voice bubbled in. "Naru!"

"I'd like you to show some gratitude, since I set aside my grudge to help you." Ayako said triumphantly.

Naru looked at them, then back at the paper

"Um, anyway, it seems the origin of the curse wasn't the Roku-bu's spirits." Bou added.

"It's the Okobu-san, isn't it?" He said.

They gasped. "H-how do you know?" Mai asked.

"Because my brain's better than any of yours." He said.

"The thing that's enshrined in that small shrine was a god that had the power to influence them to do so." Naru said. "In the village, there is a folklore about how strong storms and high waves disappeared after they enshrined the Okobu-sama. However, if the Iwai neglected to worship it, it soon began causing disasters."

"What's an Iwai?" Mai asked.

"Something like a priest," Koemi remembered. It wasn't often she actually paid attention during school, but she remembered it from her final Japan History class in high school.

"But the shrine that was supposed to be for worshipping the Okobu-sama was separated from the cave shrine." Naru continued. "This house was what caused that separation. This place was probably originally part of the shrine."

"It's natural to consider that the shrine grounds were divided and sold…The land the Iwai lived on was divided when the five rebellion leaders died." "The Okobu-sama believes that whoever lives in this place should worship it." He set down the papers. "We will now be exorcising the Okobu-sama." He finished.

* * *

><p>Within the hour, they were in the cave. It was dank and dark. Koemi didn't really like it, but it was necessary it would have to do. Bou had his monk outfit on, and began to chant. "On-habahaba-kyuuta-sabataruma-sabasaba-kitsudokan. On-data-gato-nau-baya-sowaka. On-bata-mari-nau-habaya-sowaka. On-bazara-gini-harachi-hata-sowaka."<p>

The cave began to pulse. _Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump._

"The sound of a heart?" Ayako questioned.

Mai touched the wall and gasped. "It's warm!"

Koemi mimicked the idea and touched the rugged surface. _It _is _warm. It's like skin, almost._

There was a gasping intake of air and Koemi ducked instinctively. The cave was _breathing_? It was like the cave was alive!

Mai turned in a slow circle, examining the hollowed space. She stopped when she noticed the light growing dimmer. "Bou-san! The entrance!"

Sure enough, the rock on either side of the tunnel entrance wiggled and formed slowly together.

Koemi inched closer to Oliver. "What's your take on this?"

"Just keep going." He ordered them.

The monk's prayer ended and John took over exorcising. He began his prayer in the usual way. "In the beginning, there was the Word…"

White…blobs—that was the only way to describe the streaks of light that appeared from the stone—began to attack the group. Koemi began a spell, but nothing happened. She didn't feel anything. _That absence_! She realized. _Shit. I spent all my power when I went "crazy", apparently. _Ayako and Mai used the nine cuts, and John fended them off with his cross.

Takigawa began his chant again, approaching the Okobu-san with his vajra.

The white blobs turned red as they appeared.

Takigawa lifted the vajra above his head, intending to smash it down on the piece of driftwood. There was a flash and he was sent flying backwards.

The vajra slid from his hand when it smashed into the ground. He grunted at the impact and opened a pained eye. "John! Smash the driftwood with that vajra!"

John scooped it up and took a running start at Okobu-san. He had the same result. Just as he brought the vajra down to stab the driftwood, it gave a pulsing flash that sent him flying back to slide beside Takigawa. Koemi knelt down to help. "Are you alright?" She inquired as Mai and Ayako tended to Takigawa.

Yasuhara snatched the vajra and took off at the driftwood. "Yasuhara!" Mai noticed.

Yasuhara didn't even get close before it sent him away.

"At least I'm still alive," he looked up as Mai ran to him.

"Is that all you've got?" Naru looked down at them reproachfully.

Mai's eyes jerked up from Yasuhara to glare at Oliver. She jumped to her feet and jabbed a finger at him threateningly. "Everyone's already at their limit thanks to spending all of their energy saving you!" She shouted. "So why the hell do we have to do this for the sake of your pride? Are you a complete idiot? If your pride's so important, why don't you stop relying on others and do it yourself?! What the hell is pride worth if you have somebody else protect it for you anyway?"

Ayako and Lin helped Takigawa get to his feet, retreating. "I'm sorry, Naru. Maybe next time." Takigawa winced.

Oliver hung his head, turning to stare at the Okobu-sna darkly.

Koemi helped John up, and Mai helped Yasuhara. "Let's go."

"What are you doing?" Mai demanded, looking back at Oliver. The others stopped and watched. Oliver remained unmoving, and Koemi gave an alarmed gasp. _He wouldn't._

Mai left Yasuhara to support himself on the wall, heading towards Oliver. "Hey, did you hear me?" She demanded. "What are y—." She reached out to push him, receiving a swift shock to the fingertips.

Koemi's mouth fell open. "NO!" She ran towards Mai and dragged her backwards. "Don't stand near him!"

The air around him crackled and whirled. Mai pressed against Koemi fearfully. "What's happening?" She cried out. The sound was lost in the wind he was creating.

Light grew apparent around him, and Naru lifted his hand in the air to harness it. He waited until a reasonable amount was gathered, and pointed his hands at the driftwood. It took off in a staggering bolt, smashing into the target and incinerating it. A cloud of dust and who knows what else flew into the air, shielding Koemi as she ran at him.

"You _idiot_!" She roared. "What were you _thinking_?"

"We'll head back." He muttered. Koemi threw his arm over her shoulder and aided him in their retreat.

He stopped as they reached the sunlight, stumbling slightly. "Naru?" She looked up at him nervously.

He swayed and fell, dragging Koemi to her knees.

"Lin!" She screamed as she flipped him onto the back. "Lin!"

"Naru!" He spun away from Takigawa's shoulder and sprinted back. He shouldered her away and pressed his ear to Naru's lips.

Koemi jumped to her feet and stormed towards Mai. "This is _your_ fault!"

"No! Naru, stay with us!" He commanded. "Naru!" He pumped Naru's chest.

Koemi grabbed Mai's shoulder and lifted her hand above her head to slap her. The limb trembled and Koemi was reduced to tears. She fell to her knees. "I don't want to lose him too," she whispered.

"Is he going to be okay?" Ayako wondered.

Lin lifted Naru by the shirt and slapped him hard. "Breathe, dammit! Come on!"

Koemi scrambled to Lin and pushed him away. She pinched his nose and pressed her lips to his.

Mai stared wide-eyed as Koemi puffed air into his lungs.

Lin moved to the other side and slammed his fist into the boy's chest, turning to glare at the others. "Call an ambulance!"


	19. Fureai

Koemi sat outside the emergency room with Masako and Mai, gnawing on her lip as she watched Lin pace back and forth.

The teen stood shakily and moved to the water container. Taking a Styrofoam cup, she flicked the tab and released the water. The emergency room towards opened and a weary male nurse appeared. "I need to talk to the person in charge." He stated.

Koemi turned her head and watched Lin step forward, breaking his anxious pace. "That would be me."

"He's in a state of shock. His pulse is weak and sometimes irregular, although he does seem to be recovering…There is a chance he'll fall back into a deeper state. He'll need to be hospitalized so we can monitor his progress."

"Thank you, Doctor." Lin bowed, and the Doctor returned the motion.

The water overflowed from the cup and spilled onto Koemi's hand, jolting her from her dread. "Shit," she growled, grabbing taking the cup with her other hand and shaking the water from her drenched hand on the ground. The motion caused the slippery glass to fall from her hand and crash to the ground, splashing her legs. "God damn it!" She squealed, falling to her knees in the puddle. _I should have stopped him._ "Why? Why did he have to show off?" A fresh round of tears welled to her eyes.

"Lin-san…" Mai reached for Lin's sleeve darkly. "Is something wrong with Naru?"

"No. It's not like he has a chronic disease." Lin answered.

"Then…he used qigong. Is that the reason?" She demanded fiercely.

Koemi didn't remember the conversation on the way here. She had been too worried to care about Lin explaining what the power was to the others.

"This happened before. You said he just fainted, but that wasn't the real reason, was it?" She cried out. "You knew this was going to happen, so you tried to stop him?"

"…Yes." Lin hung his head.

"Is qigong that dangerous? I thought it could cure illnesses." Mai shouted. "Why does Naru fall when he uses it!?" She burst into tears.

"Taniyama-san. Please calm down." He hunched over and grabbed her shoulders. "Everyone releases chi. That is what you call atmosphere. Usually it is just released and you don't use it for anything. Qigong is increasing that chi and controlling it for a certain purpose. Just like sports, you can use it if you train. But in Naru's case, it's far superior to that."

"Superior…?" Mai asked, her tears wiped away by her confusion.

"It's a gift from Heaven." Lin responded. "Naru used to cause poltergeists when he was a child. As a means for him to control his chi, I taught him qigong. So, it is similar to normal qigong, but his level of chi is so much higher."

"Really?" Mai asked.

"Yes. Naru's powers are too intense for a human to handle. That is why his body can't keep up."

"It's my fault." Mai tears up again and looked at the uninteresting carpet.

Koemi jumped to her feet and stormed from the room, angrily wiping at her eyes. _That jerk. He made _two _mistakes. Two. First he allowed himself to be possessed, and then to make up for his first blunder he freaking used qigong without Gene._

"Wait!" Masako hurried out after her. "Walker-san."

"What do you want, Hara-san?" Koemi crossed her arms in front of her stomach and kept her back on the younger teen.

"Why are you so mad about this?" She asked.

"I'm _mad _because he _knew perfectly well_ what would happen if he used qigong without Eugene." Koemi said, stomping her foot angrily and smashing a perfectly innocent petunia underfoot. "He _knew _that he would hurt himself, and that makes me mad." Her voice wavered with her fury, and broke as she entered a new wave of tears. "In one hundred years, everyone you know will be dead." She wiped her eyes. "I thought that in two years, all my friends would be gone. First Hua, then Gene, and then…" She shuddered.

"I understand." Masako hugged her awkwardly.

Koemi tensed under the bizarre touch. "You understand because you love Naru." She snapped. "You think I'm just as scared as you, but you _don't understand._ It's not just Doctor Davis _and _Ms. Walker. It's Doctor Davis and Ms. Walker. The inseparable couple. I feel horrible, you know." She rubbed her uninvited tears away with the back of her arm. "He asked me if we could ever get married, if I wanted to. I pretty much rejected him." Her lips twitched into a bitter smile. "I said no because we were too young. I thought that my last words to him were going to be something ignorant and cold."

"He knows you love him, Walker-san." She said. "I-I know this sounds silly, but I always knew there was a reason he wouldn't let me get close to him. I figured it had to be you, because he was so detached around other girls. But around you, he seemed more alive."

"Shut up, you." Koemi elbowed her halfheartedly. "My tear ducts are going to explode if I keep crying."

Masako smiled sadly and returned to the others.

* * *

><p>In a week's time, they were allowed to visit him. "Gee. I'm glad to see you were released fast than expected!" Takigawa said to Yasuhara as they gathered in room 311. He had broken a rib or two thanks to the Okobu-san.<p>

"Thank you." He scratched his head. "Now it's Shibuya-san's turn."

Oliver angrily scribbled in his case description file. "You guys should sit." Ayako told them.

"Oh, thank you." Yasuhara sang.

Koemi glared at Naru from across the room, sending icy daggers at him via telepathy.

He sent back an equally dirty look to her, obviously irritated by the presence of the entire SPR team.

"I hate you." She mouthed at him.

He closed his eyes with a huff.

The nurse entered and made an act of shooing the visitors. "Out, go. Let's go. Out, out! Visiting hours are over!"

They shuffled out, save for Koemi. She remained, staring at the nurse. "Hey, Aunt Reiko."

The woman locked in on her and sighed heavily. "I'm surprised _you're _not the one in the bed, Koemi-chan." She complained. "Though I should have known you were somehow involved."

"Hey!" Koemi held her hands up in mock defense. "I'm just the girlfriend. I'm not the _idiot_." She glared at her boyfriend again.

He scowled.

"He's not exactly pleased to be in my usual role." Koemi explained. "Though I can't say I'm ecstatic either."

"Well, you can stay I guess…" Reiko said. "Just tell the Doc you guys are married and you won't have a problem." She held her fingers in a circle, the universal symbol for a-ok. "You seem to quarrel like one." She laughed, checked the levels of his blood from the IV and disappeared to her other nursely duties.

Koemi opened her mouth to yell at him, but his voice cut her off. "I'm sorry." He stated quietly.

She blanched. "Wait, you are?" She blinked owlishly.

"You worried." He said. "I'm sorry."

She looked down at her hands. "You better be." She sniffed haughtily.

He didn't answer, but looked back at his file. The words blurred together as he pretended to indifferently read it.

The bed dipped as Koemi settled beside him. She curled up at his side and cuddled on his shoulder. "I thought I was going to lose you." She murmured. She kissed his cheek gently.

* * *

><p>Koemi sat in the backseat of Lin's car with Masako. Oliver took shotgun, and of course, Lin drove. Oliver had just been discharged from the hospital after a half-month of healing. He was in a horrid mood from the consumed time.<p>

"Fureai." Koemi remembered suddenly. "Mai told me I said to remember Fureai. When did I say that?"

"You were possessed by Gene." Lin said to her. He turned at the shortcut to Tokyo. "Maybe he wanted you to remember something you two did."

"Gene?" Naru demanded. "He hasn't moved on?"

"He doesn't know why." Lin answered. "He said he can't."

Koemi let out a whine and looked out the window. "Is that a place? Why—?"

"Stop!" Oliver cried out suddenly as they crossed a bridge. "Stop the car!"

Lin slammed the brakes. "What is it?" He asked as Oliver fought his way from his seat belt and jumped to the edge of the bridge to peer in the water.

Takigawa's car slowed to a stop.

"Finally…" Naru whispered.

Koemi's eyes widened as she saw the sign. _Lake Fureai._

"I've found it."


	20. Fureai II

Takigawa got out of his car at the Fureai Campgrounds. "Hey, what's going on? I thought we were going back. Why are we suddenly stopping here? Is something wrong?"

Oliver looked back at him with a determined expression. "I have some business here. Mai and the others should leave for Tokyo first. You're in my way here. Go back."

Mai's eyebrow ticked. Masako politely inquired. "Naru, when will you be back?"

"I don't know." He answered tersely.

"Don't know?" Mai inquired. "Then what about the office?"

"It will be closed." He grew tired of the interrogation. He had calls to make.

"C-Closed?" Mai repeated.

"You'd better look for another job, Mai."

"What?" She asked stupidly.

"That office will be shut down upon my return."

Koemi flinched as everyone yelled out at once, demanding answers fiercely.

Naru instantly slapped down the noise verbally.

"Qu-Question." Mai raised her hand shyly. "Shutting down the office means you're quitting, right? Why?"

"I have my own circumstances." He said.

Mai's hand remained in the air. "Please explain them, President. Since I'm being dismissed, I want to know the circumstances."

"I don't feel it necessary to give an explanation." He crossed his arms.

Mai glared at him, leaning forward threateningly. "Look here!" She began.

Takigawa stopped her. "Ah, alright. I surrender."

"Huh?" Mai swiveled her neck to look at the monk blankly.

"Because I surrender to this heat, but we can stay at that bungalow and give him a hand."

Naru clenched his teeth. "Bou-san, you're in the way."

"I still haven't heard your circumstances. So how 'bout it everyone? Ready to go home?"

Mai and Ayako exchanged unsure looks.

"I say we stay here." Yasuhara and John both raised their hands.

"Eh? John-san to?" Mai gaped.

"What about Masako-chan?" Takigawa turned to look at the kimono-wearing teen.

"I think I'm staying." She fiddled with her fingers.

"So, what about Mai and Ayako?" Takigawa turned to them.

"Wh-What should we do, Mai?" Ayako asked.

"Uh…what should I do?" Mai agreed.

Masako's sleeved hand touched Mai's arm. "You should stay." She murmured. "If you go back right now, you may never meet him again."

Mai stared at her in disbelief.

Naru looked at Koemi. It was unusual for her not to put her ten cents into the conversation. She leaned quietly against the car, not looking at anything in particular.

"I'll stay, but…" Mai began.

"I'll take care of the expenses or your food and lodging." Takigawa ruffled her hair with a smirk.

"Thanks," she giggled awkwardly.

"Wait, are we really going to stay here?" Ayako whined. "Isn't there a hotel? Aren't there a lot of bugs here?"

"Hmm. Would you rather go home?" Takigawa asked.

"I'm staying!" Ayako roared irritably.

Koemi seemed to feel his gaze and turned to glance at him. Almost in a whisper, she spoke. "I can't believe it's actually happening."

He just slightly inclined his head.

* * *

><p>"By the way, I'm not very good at cooking. Do you guys know how to cook?" Ayako asked of Mai, Masako and Koemi.<p>

"Um…If it's simple stuff…" Mai answered.

Masako, however, flushed and held her sleeve to her lips. "I'm not very…"

Koemi shrugged. "Japanese food isn't in my particular skill set. You want English food, I'm just fine with that."

"Just what I thought." Ayako whipped out a notepad and pen. "The guys won't go shopping, so we have to do it. We'll get the stupid monk to drive us out, so I'm making a memo here."

"Ok." Mai left the bungalow and headed to the men's bungalow. "Anyone here? I'm coming in." She threw the door open.

"So that's why." Takigawa's voice said. "Doesn't it seem like Naru is making a gamble?"

"Um…" Mai knocked on the door to the living room awkwardly. "Wha…"

It flew open to reveal a rather flustered Takigawa. "What? Oh, it's just Mai."

Mai snickered, holding the notepad up to her face to try and cover it. "What's this? You three guys having your little _talk _again?"

"Please leave us alone." Takigawa growled.

"Ayako says she needs to go shopping." Mai straightened out.

"If that's so, I'll come along and help." John beamed.

Yasuhara jumped to his feet. "Then I'll sort out the luggage."

Koemi found her way to Oliver's bungalow, picking at a string on her tank top. "Naru," she knocked gently on bungalow 7. "The men are at the store, and the girls are in their bungalow." Quickly, she pulled the door open and stepped in.

He turned to look at her, his eyes red with unshed tears.

"Oh," she gasped. "Emotion!" She closed the door behind her gently and approached him tentatively.

He scowled and jerked away from her touch, returning to reading his case file.

"Don't be afraid to hurt," she murmured to him. "I know how you feel about death, and how you hide any weakness. But, it's not weak to cry." She pulled him into a hug.

He didn't fight her this time. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his forehead against her collarbone.

Koemi stroked his head rhythmically, feeling his hands tremble against the fists of her shirt he had gathered.

He calmed himself down after a few minutes and pulled away from her. "You should have gone with them." He said, his face wiped clear of any human emotions.

She scowled at him. "You tryin' to get rid of me, boy?" She demanded.

He scoffed. "It's too late for that. You should stay where your brother is, though."

She stared at him blankly. "What?"

"I want you to stay in Japan when we get him." He said quietly.

"And I want a pet unicorn." She stated. "Come on, Naru. Be serious, here."

He didn't say anything.

"I love you," she learned to him and pressed her lips to his forehead in a lingering kiss. "I sometimes wish I didn't, but I do."

He closed his eyes and listened to her exit.

Koemi surveyed the woodland around the bungalow. They were moderately thick with pine trees and staggering oaks. East to the camp, the lake was just visible. Koemi hiked out to it. It wasn't _too _hot today. It was just excruciatingly humid. A few aspiring fishermen gave weary sighs as they cast their hooks into the murky depths.

"_I hear they're bringing in divers_." A woman hissed to her friend, looking out over the water.

"_Really? Why is that?_" The other lady whispered quietly back.

"_I heard a rumor that there's a dead body!_"

"_That's horrible!_"

The teen turned to identify the source of the gossip, turning instead to see a woman of maybe forty staring at the water with popping eyes. She had dull black hair and green eyes. Those very same green eyes flashed up to meet Koemi's with a nervous laugh. "Heh…Miss, do you know that rumor?"

Koemi shrugged one shoulder. "It's true."

"R-Really?" The woman approached her quickly, scratching her thumb's cuticle with her forefinger rapidly. "How do you know?"

"My boyfriend." She answered. "His older brother was hit in a hit and run a year ago, and since then he's been in the lake."

"How could he know a thing like that?" She gasped.

Koemi hummed thoughtfully. "He's a psychometry user. He saw a vision of it, I guess."

"Does he know who did it?"

"No," she answered.

"Did you know the boy?" The lady's prying questions became more and more like an interrogation.

"He was my best friend." Koemi muttered darkly. "And I wish I knew the lady. I wish I knew what had gone through her mind when she killed him. How she felt. Did she even _think _about the people she hurt when she hurt him? How cou—."

"Koemi," Naru appeared beside her. "The girls need your help preparing dinner."

"_My _help?" Koemi squawked.

The woman gave a silent cry and stumbled backwards. "I-I have to go!" She barked, turning heel and taking off.

"That was weird." Koemi blinked.

Naru leaned against a tree. "Let's see how this goes." He said.

"I thought they needed my help."

He shrugged. "So?"

She sluggishly leaned on the unoccupied edge of the tree. "Okay then. When do the divers get here?"

"They've been here." He gestured out towards the greenish brown lake. A boat in the middle that she originally figured was a fishing boat was actually filled with black-suited men that monitored the divers.

"Yoo-hoo! Naru! Koemi!" A frosted pink cupcake—Koemi shook her head. Madoka. Madoka frolicked towards them, attracting the eyes of all young men around. "Yoo-hoo!"

"You didn't tell me she was coming!" Koemi hissed at him.

He shrugged. "It's only natural."

Madoka attacked Koemi with a bone-crushing hug and ruffled Oliver's hair. "It's good to see you two haven't killed each other yet!"

"I'm not _that _bad," Koemi put her hands on her hips indignantly. "If you think _I'm _bad, you should have seen him earlier. I'm sure Lin told you about his little…episode."

Madoka nodded seriously. "He did."

"Yeah. You're lucky you weren't there." Koemi shriveled under Naru's withering glare. "What? It's true."

He turned to her. "Where's Lin?"

"He said he was going back to the bungalow," she said brightly. "The others are there! I saw them when I was walking here."

Naru sighed and took off.

"Hey! It's not nice to leave without saying goodbye!" Madoka cried at him. "You rude boy!"

Koemi half-bowed awkwardly and took off after him. "Bye, Madoka-san! Good luck with the divers!"

Oliver marched through the woods.

"How much do they know?" Koemi inquired.

"By now Mai has undoubtedly told the others about my older brother." He answered.

"Oh, you told her that?"

"I see no point in hiding that information." He said.

"I guess." Koemi matched his stride.

"Lin," he called as they emerged to the clearing that held the men's bungalow. "What are you doing here?"

"They are together with Madoka. They're doing fine." He said.

"I see."

"Wait," Koemi looked at him. "You already knew that. Why did you ask?"

"Sorry for your loss." Takigawa wedged his foot on the deck, balancing his weight on the railing. "Did you find him?"

"Thank you." Naru looked up. "It's going to be tough, as the water clarity is low. There're a lot of sediments at the bottom of the lake."

"Well, it's because this is a damn." Takigawa replied. "But it'd be great if you could find him quickly."

"I was more or less prepared for that. That's why, don't you think, it's better if you leave first?" Naru questioned.

"Sorry, but that's not only my decision." Takigawa said.

Koemi turned at a quiet, "…Uh…Umm…"

"Zombies!" She screeched. "More zombies!" She flew up the steps and retreated behind Takigawa. "Do your chanting Buddhist magic, Bou-san!"

He elbowed her. "It's just a couple of men." He accused. "Calm down."

"Are you from Shibuya Psychic Research?" An old man inquired. Old didn't quite cover it. He was more _ancient_ than old. His skin hung sunken over his cheeks, shriveled and papery. Glasses as thick as potatoes aided his sight, and old spots…spotted his features. The man behind him must have been at least ten years younger, only looking grandpa age with his white shirt with a single black stripe through it.

"Yes, I am." Naru turned back.

"Are you psychic?" He asked.

"Something like that." Naru confirmed.

"Excuse me, but you are…?"

"I'm the director of Shibuya Psychic Research." He answered.

"Yo-You're really young." Glasses gasped.

"Thank you." Oliver responded. "Please state your business."

The old men looked between each other. "I apologize for my mistake. However, there's something I need your help in." Glasses said.

"What is it?"

"Naru, now—."

Oliver held his hand up to shut him up. "It's fine. Either way, we can do nothing but wait. I'll listen to the details of the request." He gestured for the pair to follow. They met inside.

Koemi settled beside Mai to watch the sport. It would surely be intense, Oliver Davis versus Glasses and Stripe!

"I'm the head of this village, Matsunuma, and this is my assistant, Hatada." He looked worriedly at Stripe. "Actually, only our village has this problem. We've thought about calling in some psychics to discuss the issue, so we were grateful when we heard from the office that the guests staying at the bungalows are specialists."

"What do you mean by problems?" Naru inquired.

Glasses dabbed at his sweaty face with a handkerchief. "Well…that…Actually, there's a primary school that closed down near the area. Over there…well…A lot of abnormal incidents have continuously occurred there."

Naru interrupted. "Pardon me. I can't understand what your problems are with just that."

Both of them simultaneously cried out. "Ah…About that…That…We beg you to keep it a secret!"

"Our client's secrets will remain confidential." Naru promised.

"In the school…" Stripe sweated. "You can see ghosts. And they are numerous. Well, basically, you can see spirits. It might be a curse. We wish to demolish that building even though it's not dangerous, but we would be cursed if such a thing was done. "

"When did it close?"

"To be exact, it happened five years ago in May."

Oliver considered it. "Isn't the timing strange to close it down in May?"

"Well…" Hatada answered uncertainly. "There was a decrease in the number of primary children. In fact, the number of students in the branch didn't even reach twenty. Also, over the years, there has been talk over merging the schools. Due to the unexpected closure, the students in the school district were transferred out."

He sighed and continued. "Due to that fact, we were able to build that dam."

"You mean this dam?" Oliver asked.

"That's right. To tell the truth, there's a plan to build some resort facilities near the closed school." Hatada nodded.

Glasses took over. "But to have it that close, if ghosts appear, then rumors will spread. That's why, no matter what, it must be kept a secret. This is the most reliable solution. As there is no more land, this village is located in the mountains."

Stripe interrupted again. "Our only source of income comes from the golf course and the camp site. It's a matter of life and death if our tourism revenue were to be cut off."

Oliver gave a small smile. "I see. By the way, do you happen to know the reasons these ghost stories started?"

"That's outrageous! If we knew the reasons for it, we would've held a memorial service to appease the spirits." Glasses roared.

"Were there any incidents at that school in the past?" Naru continued anyways.

"No." Stripe was calmer in his reply.

"Can I meet the people who have seen the ghosts?" Naru asked.

Koemi's lips twitched. They were definitely hiding something.

"Er…No, those were just rumors. Even I don't know who's seen them…"

Oliver sighed, closing his notes. "So basically, it was just based on rumors. Don't you think you're just grasping thin air?"

Glasses rubbed his neck as Stripe replied. "Th-That may be true, but it's still a cause of concern."

"We will investigate this once." He sighed. "But we will not be staying overnight. Because the progress of this job is a matter of concern, depending on the investigation, work may be discontinued midway. Is that okay?"

"That's fine." Hatada answered. This entire conversation seemed to be stressing the two of them out.

"Then, please gather the required data for us by today." Naru ordered. The two took off like a pack of turtles.

"There's really nothing there, right?" Takigawa said irritably.

"Hey," Mai said with a snort. "There seem to be a lot of spirits in schools, huh."

Koemi looked between the conversation that was being kicked up. "I'm going to go talk to Madoka." She tipped an imaginary hat to them. "Naru, what time do you want us at the school tomorrow?"

"Be there at seven." He stated.

Mai and Ayako groaned. "So early?"

"Beat the heat," Koemi explained before trudging back down the hill to approach Madoka. "Madoka! Hey!" She waved enthusiastically.

Madoka looked away from the attractive young man. "Koemi! Did you talk to Lin?"

"Yeah," she said. "Your _boyfriend_." She joined her and looked at the brunette in front of them. He had cool brown eyes that examined her like a suspect.

"He is not!" Madoka pinched her playfully. "He's my coworker! Oh! Yamashita-san, this is my dear friend Ayumu Koemi. Koemi, this is Yamashita Shusuke."

Koemi bowed. "It's nice to meet you Yamashita-san." She said politely. "Are you a resident in this village?"

"I am." He said, returning the bow.

"What do you know about that old schoolhouse up the road?" Koemi asked.

He blinked, looking alarmed. "I don't know anything about it." He stated quickly.

"Ah. I see."

"Why do you ask?" Madoka asked curiously.

"Naru just accepted a case about it, even though there's no real proof that it's haunted." She sighed. "One last case before we go back, you know?"

"Oh!" Madoka spun to Shusuke. "Yamashita-san, Koemi is the girl I was telling you about! She's dating Kazuya-kun! You were curious about him, right? If there's anything he doesn't tell me, which is pretty much everything, he tells her."

"That's not true!" Koemi said. "He doesn't tell me very much."

"More than he tells me!" She said.

"He's more interested in…" Koemi stopped herself and flushed. "Well, work."

Madoka looked at her with wide eyes before giggling. "Oh my, my! Scandal!"

Koemi shook her head. "Not even. What _is _scandal is that he's already talking about marriage."

Madoka gaped at her. "_Naru _is? Are you sure?"

"He asked if I wanted to ever marry him." She nodded. "I didn't talk to him for a month," she admitted. "Scared me half to death!"

"Well…_would you_?" Madoka demanded, her eyes gradually lighting up. "Oh! I could imagine the wedding! You in a pink dress and him in a blue tux!" She blushed with excitement.

"Madoka, stop where you are and rethink everything you just said." Koemi crossed her arms over her black tank top and pointedly looked at her camouflage cargo pants.

Yamashita interrupted. "Does he dress similarly?"

"Somewhat," Koemi said, peering into his suspicious eyes again. "He's more formal about his black, though."

"Then…" Madoka braced her knees and threw her hands out with eerie flourish. "Perhaps a _haunted _theme." She clapped. "Koemi, you could wear orange and he could wear black! It's perfect!"

Koemi tried to visualize that. "No, no. Definitely not." She snickered. "It doesn't really matter though. I don't plan on getting married until I'm sure nothing else good can happen to me."

"That's not very nice to say!" Madoka accused. "Plenty of people are happily married."

"And divorced," Koemi pointed out. "I just…I don't want to end up getting hurt when he moves on. Come on, Madoka. We all know what a womanizer he was before I got lost in limbo and Gene…" She sighed. "He was a downright man whore."

"That's not very nice to say!" Madoka repeated.

"Baaaaaah humbug." Koemi stuck her tongue out and wiggled it. "If you're so prim and proper, I suggest asking out Lin. He's not mean _or _nice! Can't go wrong with such a neutral dude!"

"Why do you keep bringing him up?" She demanded with a pink face to match her pink dress.

Shusuke shifted uncomfortable. "I think I'll just scoot along." He said.

"Bye!" Madoka waved.

Koemi bowed. "I bring him up because we all know what a cute couple you two would be."

"Oh yeah? Who's 'we'?" Madoka put her hands on her hips.

"Sassy." Koemi giggled. "And by we, I mean me. And myself. And sometimes I."

"Hah! That doesn't count, then!" Madoka said.

"Come on, lady. We've all seen how you ogle over him." She teased. "You baked a _cake _for him. And he ate it. Allllllll of it."

"Men like sweets!" She defended.

"Naru doesn't." Koemi countered. "He prefers salty."

"Naru's not a man!" Madoka argued. "He's just a boy!"

"A boy who is really a man." Koemi said.

"You're just making that up!"

"I beg to differ!"

"I'm older and that makes me right!" Madoka pouted.

"Booooooo," Koemi crossed her arms and spun her back on Madoka.

"Excuse me," a diver padded up to them, taking off his facemask and shaking the water off of it. His flippers remained on the shore, much to Koemi's disappointment. "Do you mind if I ask your name, miss?" His eyes were trained on Koemi's face in a searching manner that made Koemi uncomfortable.

"I'm Ayumu Koemi," she stated.

"I knew it!" He laughed. "Ayumu-san, we went to high school together! Remember me?" He beamed at her. "I'm Arakaki Hansuke!"

"What years?" She inquired.

"We were third years together." He answered, peering at her closer. "You were a little shrimp!" He laughed harder. "I can't believe I even recognized you!"

Koemi scowled and scuffed the ground with her shoe awkwardly.

"We always joked that you looked like a boy!" He said, giving her an once-over. "You grew up, huh."

"Yep. That tends to happen with time." Koemi drawled quietly.

"Still sarcastic?" He inquired.

"Not at all." She smirked at him. "So, Arakaki-kun, you're a diver?"

"Yeah!" He looked at his suit pointedly. "I work with the police force around here, and because I have diving experience they use me as a diver too. Pretty cool, huh."

"Yeah." She said. "Seems thrilling."

He looked around. "We're not really supposed to tell anyone, but we're looking for a dead body right now." He informed her.

Koemi jerked her head at Madoka as explanation. "The guy you're looking for is my friend. Entire reason I'm back in Japan, actually."

"Right…" He looked down at his feet. "Well, we're pulling out for the day soon. I hope we find him, for your sake, Ayumu-san."

"Thank you for all of your hard work," Madoka bowed to him. Koemi repeated the gesture, and he returned it before taking off back towards the lake. "You know so many attractive young men, Koemi!" Madoka steamed jovially.

"Now that makes three." Koemi scowled at her.

"You don't consider Takigawa-san, Brown-san or Yasuhara-san attractive?" She blinked.

"Not really. Brown-san is cute in a puppy way," she said thoughtfully.

"Wow," Madoka chirped. "You're pretty faithful, then!"

Koemi shrugged, watching the sun sink from its throne in the sky, turning the blue to a pale purple. "I should probably start back to the camp." She announced.

"Do you want me to walk with you?" Madoka offered.

"Nah, I'll be fine." Koemi rolled her shoulders sleepily and began her sluggish trudge. "Bye, Madoka. I'll see you later!"

"Bye, Koemi! Don't let the bugs bite!"

Koemi waved over her shoulder and continued. It was interesting to see Hansuke today. She remembered him after he introduced himself. He was the sporty asshole who had wanted to play football after high school. Apparently that didn't work out.

"Hey!" She waved at Oliver on his patio.

He nodded his head at her, and Mai appeared with a cup of soup and bread. "This is all we have left, sorry!" Mai said shyly. "You should eat though. Naru did."

"Oh, okay. I'll jump on this bandwagon." She graciously accepted the cup and plopped down at the picnic table. "What's up?"

"Nothing, really." Mai sat down across from her. "We were talking about what equipment to bring."

"That sounds enthralling." Koemi commented. "My brain can't even process that kind of excitement."

"Oh hah, hah." Mai jested. "You're soo funny."

"Mai knows sarcasm?" Koemi gasped at Oliver. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Haha." Mai repeated, crossing her arms as Koemi sipped at the soup. "Do you like it?"

Koemi nodded. "It's better than I could have done. Me so bad at miso." She looked at Mai with wide eyes. "Haaaaah!"

Mai rolled her eyes with a snort.

Koemi giggled and took another sip. "I so funny!" She sipped again and felt a bubble in her stomach. She gagged and turned away, holding her mouth.

"Hey! It's not that bad!" Mai protested.

Koemi shook her head before streaking down the stairs just in time to retch into an unsuspecting bush.

Mai followed her. "Are you okay?" She gasped, helping Koemi hold her hair away from her mouth as her stomach emptied its contents on the ground. How pleasant.

Koemi didn't answer until the heaving quit and she caught her breath. "Well that came out of nowhere." She said with mild annoyance. "Wonderful. I'm probably sick."

"Maybe you should get sleep," Mai padded up the creaking stairs to fetch her a napkin. "You really don't look good."

"You're probably right." Koemi sighed. "Go on without me. I wanted to ask Lin something."

"Really? What?" Mai goaded.

"Something about Madoka-san." She answered with a wink. "I'll catch up." She dabbed at the corners of her mouth with the napkin and rejoined Naru.

Mai shrugged and left towards the girl bungalow, leaving them alone.

"Want a kiss?" She asked her boyfriend in a husky voice.

He cast her a dramatic look. "Lin is inside."

She giggled and entered. "Is it alright if I use your Listerine?" She called over her shoulder.

"It's fine." He said.

She entered the gloomy bungalow and made a beeline to the bathroom. "Hello, sexaaaay." She winked at her bedraggled self in the mirror, taking the cap off Oliver's mouthwash. It burned in contact with her tongue and cheeks, but she soldiered through it long enough to swish it around and spit it back out with disgust. "What is this poison?" She screeched.

Lin poked his head in curiously. "What are you doing in here?"

"I came to tell you that Madoka loves daffodils and yellow lilies." She stared him in the eye threateningly.

He stared at her blankly. "So?"

"Lin, if you don't give her flowers, I'll make you suffer." She narrowed her eyes at him dangerously. "You don't want to suffer."

"Why would I give her flowers?"

"Because she's an attractive young woman at marrying age." Koemi replied. "And you're an attractive…" She paused. "How old are you, Lin?" She shook her head. "Doesn't matter. You're also unmarried. The _least _you could do is go on a date with her."

"I have no interest in dating Madoka." He answered, allowing Koemi to push through the doorway.

"Pleaaase, Lin?" Koemi looked at him pleadingly. "Pretty please?"

"No." He turned to leave, but Koemi threw herself on the ground at his feet and wrapped her arms around his legs.

"Daaaaad!" Koemi screeched. "Do it!"

"I'm not your dad," he glared at her. "Get off of me!"

"No," she looked up at him with watery eyes. "I'll tell Oliver on you!"

"Oliver would agree with me." He stated.

"Daddddyyyyy!" Koemi roared. "Take Mom on one little date!"

"Naru!" He shouted.

Oliver entered the room, surveyed the situation and leaned against the wall.

"Oli!" Koemi jumped up and hugged him tightly. "Make Lin go on a date with Madoka."

"I don't have that power over him." He stated.

She stared him in the eye fiercely.

He stared back with just as much determination.

They remained in that deadlock for a good minute before Koemi raised her head to meet his lips.

Oliver kept it chaste before replying to her request. "He can do whatever he wants."

She stamped her foot. "_Why can't you just listen to me_?" She seethed at Lin.

Oliver looked at his assistant with wide eyes.

She burst into tears and sank to her knees. "It's not _fair_!"

Oliver padded to stand beside her. "It's time to go to bed, Koemi." He said. Her outburst was unusual. She had gone from happy to angry to waterworks in a matter of _seconds_.

Lin stood. "I'll tell the girls that she's staying here tonight."

Koemi rubbed her eyes and followed Oliver to bed.

* * *

><p><em>Eugene bounced to stand beside the primly dressed woman. "Madoka, this is our friend Koemi Walker. She's a—."<em>

_ "I'm a rogue witch." Koemi interrupted, sticking her hand out and gauging Madoka's reaction to her introduction. _

_ Much to her surprise, Madoka's handshake was just as firm if not firmer than her own. "It's nice to meet you at last, Koemi. I'm Madoka Mori. If I'm not mistaken, you're Japanese?"_

_ "I am." Koemi said._

_ "I hear you are Oliver's girlfriend," she nudged her playfully._

_ Koemi shrugged. "It's not really exclusive." She answered._

_ "But more than one date? I'm surprised! He's such a rude kid!" She giggled brightly._

_ "He's pretty sweet once you get to know him." Koemi shrugged. _

_ Eugene kicked the ground awkwardly._

_ "I think it's nice!" She purred happily._

_ "Yeah, okay. Moving on." Eugene took Koemi's hand. "We have to go! Bye, Madoka!"_

* * *

><p>Koemi's subconscious was awake before she even opened her eyes. She sighed heavily, stretching her ribs. Oliver's arms trapped her from rolling away from him, so she was stuck in a hug with him.<p>

There was a creak in the other room.

Koemi felt the hair on her neck prickle and stand on end. Instead of investigating the sound, she snuggled closer to Oliver and wrapped her arms over his waist.

The creak reoccurred closer, and Koemi felt alarm in her sleepy brain.

Koemi sucked in her breath and pushed him.

He stirred and sighed heavily.

"Don't speak," a hiss warned.

"I'm just kidding. Jeez." The voice turned friendly. "Only you can hear me…He's not on the same frequency."

Koemi let out the breath she had been holding and turned. "What are you doing here?" She hissed at Gene.

"I just wanted the chance to say goodbye." Eugene answered. "Once you find me, I'll probably move on."

"I love you," she whispered.

"I've always loved you. You know that." He smiled at her.

Koemi waved and he disappeared.

Oliver tightened his grip on her and sighed.

"Good night, Gene." She whispered to the empty air. "Sleep tight."


	21. Some Truths

The sound of rain patter outside woke Koemi from an intense sleep. She sat up with confusion. Although the clouds covered the sky, it was bright outside, and she was alone. Oliver was nowhere in sight.

She stood lazily, looking around in a dazed fashion until her eyes fell upon the clock. It was past 10 o'clock on June 20th. There was a note on the refrigerator. _You needed the sleep. We'll be at the schoolhouse. Madoka is with the divers. –Noll_

Koemi yawned and stroked her hectic hair patiently. She surveyed the room for an umbrella. "My period is late." She realized peevishly. "Damn it. I don't think I have any tampons." She hung her head and slid her shoes on, grabbing one of Naru's spare jackets to cover her head. "Freakin' unreliable body."

The breeze was muggy and uncomfortable as she ran out into the pouring rain. "Eeee!" She squealed, slipping through the mud as she sprinted unsteadily towards the lake. Hopefully the divers could still work in the rain.

"Koemi!" Madoka waved from underneath her umbrella. "What on Earth are you doing?" She extended it to cover the mud-splattered teen.

"I just wanted to check on progress." Koemi replied. "Is everything okay?"

"You're soaking."

Koemi looked up at Oliver's jacket. Surely enough, it dripped water onto her head. "Yes, yes I am.

"Come on," Madoka dragged her back up to Oliver's bungalow. "I'll make us some nice hot tea and we'll wait out the storm."

"Alright," Koemi stumbled back up the steps and slid the door back open. "If I had known you were just going to come here, I wouldn't have come down to the lake."

"Sorry," Madoka giggled, entering the sparse kitchen.

Koemi shrugged. "I'm going to go change into something dry." She threw Naru's jacket in the bathtub and entered his room. With a quick rummage through his bags, she dug out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt for sleeping. She snorted. Imagine if he wore that to work!

She stripped her clothes off and replaced them with the significantly drier ones. "So, Madoka, how have you been?"

"It's hard to watch them search for Gene," Madoka admitted solemnly. "It's so sad."

"I know what you mean." Koemi accepted plate of crackers from her.

"What about you, Koemi?"

"I puked yesterday." She confided. "It was completely nasty. Slept in today, and—Oh. Do you have any tampons?"

"Are you on your cycle?" Madoka nibbled on a cracker.

"Not yet, but it's been just over a month so I should start it soon." Koemi shrugged.

"Really? When was it supposed to be?" Madoka inquired.

"Last Sunday. Like, not the one two days ago, but the one before that." Koemi crunched into the crackers hungrily.

Madoka stared at her with her eyebrows raised. "You were sick yesterday, tired today, and your period is late?"

Koemi chewed thoughtfully before answering. "When you put it like that, I don't like it." She stated.

"When's the last time you and Naru…you know…did the deed?"

"Had sex?" Koemi asked with a snort. "God, Madoka. You're like a schoolgirl." She giggled and shoved another cracker in her mouth.

"Yeah." Madoka ignored her comment.

"Hmm. I'd have to say early May. Beltane, I think. We haven't really spent too much time alone lately."

"So, last month." Madoka clarified.

"Last month." Koemi agreed.

"And now you're missing your period."

"I'm not pregnant, if that's what you're hinting at." Koemi said. "There's no way I am."

"It wouldn't hurt to take a test." Madoka said. "We can go get some right after tea, if you want." As if listening, the kettle screamed.

Koemi sighed as Madoka poured the boiling water over an Earl Grey tea bag and handed it to her. "I really don't think I'm pregnant."

"Just take a test." Madoka whined. "Better safe than sorry."

Koemi snorted.

"You and Oliver would have such a cute baby." Madoka said suddenly.

Koemi sipped the hot tea, regretting the decision as her tongue was burned. "You're too much, Madoka. Too much."

"Respect your elders!" She chanted in response.

"Yeah, okay." Koemi laughed. "Old lady."

"Hey!"

"You started it!"

"Did not!" Madoka stuck her tongue out.

"_That's _mature." Koemi mocked her. She sobered. "What if I did take a test?"

"We can go do get one." Madoka said, leaning over the counter to stare at her. "Do you want to?"

"I guess it's worth a try." Koemi frowned.

* * *

><p>Koemi stared at the offensive pink box. Surely Madoka had only chosen it for it's cheery color.<p>

**Remove the test stick from the foil wrapper and take off the Overcap.**

_What the hell is an Overcap? _Koemi complained inwardly as she struggled to peel the wrapper off the stick. Her question was answered by the cap over the tip.

**Holding the test stick by the Thumb Grip with the Absorbent Tip pointing downward and the Result Window facing away from your body, place the Absorbent Tip in your urine stream for 5 seconds only.**

Koemi nodded. Seemed pretty basic.

**OR**

_Shit. There's more.  
><em>

**You may also collect your urine in a clean, dry cup and immerse the entire Absorbent Tip in the urine for 5 seconds only.**

_ Oh. I can do that. _

**With the Absorbent Tip still pointing downward, replace the Overcap and lay the stick on a flat surface with the Result Window facing up. Replacement of the Overcap is not necessary for the proper functioning of the test.**

** You may soon see a pink color moving across the Result Window to indicate the test is working.**

** Wait 3 minutes until reading results.**

Koemi sighed. _I can do this. I can do this. I ca—_

"Are you done yet?" Madoka asked through the door.

"Let a woman pee!" She screeched back.

Madoka paced anxiously outside the door, wringing her hands anxiously. "I wonder if you'd have twins or just one."

"Who knows, Madoka. I don't!" Koemi responded wearily.

About a minute later, Koemi emerged. The stick remained on the counter. "I have to wait three minutes." She informed the adult. "That was horrid."

"It couldn't have been too bad," Madoka said.

"I peed on a stick. It's gross and fairly humiliating."

"No one was watching." Madoka reminded her.

"You were listening." Koemi accused her.

"That's not the same." Madoka sang.

"Creepy…"

The time ticked by until three minutes had passed. Madoka marched Koemi back into the bathroom to read the results.

Two pink lines.

"You're pregnant," breathed Madoka. "You really are."

"How do you know? That could mean double no." Koemi shifted uncomfortably.

"Because the box said so! One is no, two is yes!"

Koemi shook her head. "I can't be pregnant. No."

Madoka took her into a hug. "You're okay, Koemi."

"But…but…" Koemi stopped feeling. "No way."

"Are you going to tell Oliver?" Madoka asked.

"Hey, Naru, you're going to be a Pa! Pass the salt." She said bitterly. "No. Not yet."

"Koemi, it's not your fault." Madoka said sternly. "You love the guy, and he loves you. These things happen."

"I'm going to take a nap, wake up, and mama make go away. Make it better." She laid down on her bedroll and stared at the wall, crossing her arms.

"Koemi, you can't just sleep." Madoka snapped. "You're not a child anymore. You have to face your problems."

"I'm tired." Koemi whispered. "So tired…"

* * *

><p>The rain was gone when she woke from her comatose state. Judging by the pinpointed warm pressure, she was being held by someone. She figured it must be Naru back from his investigation. Night had fallen outside.<p>

He felt her stir and cracked an eye to look at her. "You've gotten a lot of sleep."

"I think I'm going to go for a walk." Koemi informed him, peeling his arms away from her long enough to stand.

"It's three in the morning." He said.

"So the bugs will be sleeping," she offered.

He rolled onto his stomach and let her go without any more argument, falling asleep quickly.

Koemi slipped out through the door and into the early dawn, rubbing the sleep from her eyes wearily. _A baby._

"So you now know," her mother said from behind her. "That life is growing inside you." She approached in her gown of green gossamer. "Merry be, and happy Litha, my daughter."

"You knew?" Koemi gave her a dark look.

"Of course I knew. My sister is the Goddess of Fertility, if you must know."

Koemi sighed sorrowfully. "I don't even know what to do." She admitted quietly. "I don't even know where to start."

"Tell the father," she replied daintily. "His life grows in you."

"Stop it! I'm not a tree! This is not a little leaf! This is a real _person_, Mother!"

The goddess stopped her and pulled her into a flowery-light hug. "You're my little leafling."

"Mom!" She spun away. "You and I both know that isn't the point! I can barely take care of myself. How can I take care of someone solely dependent on me?" Before she could answer, Koemi continued. "Though I guess you wouldn't know. You abandoned me before I was three." She glared at her.

"You're right to be angry," her mother said. "But anger is a destructive force, and you need to use a creative building force right now."

Koemi threw her hands in the air. "That's great!" She stormed up the steps to the men's bungalow and sat on the bench. "And what do you suggest, huh? I put my baby carrying thing on and tote the damn thing around?"

_Slap! _Koemi's head swiveled from the force of the blow.

"You are not allowed to speak that way, Koemi." Her mom warned her harshly. "That _thing _is holy. Just as you are, just as anyone is. It is a human being, just as you said. "Think about that, Koemi." She said. "Don't ever forget it."

* * *

><p>Koemi sat with Ayako, Takigawa, Yasuhara, John, Masako, and Mai in the little bungalow at their summonings. Yasuhara had seemed cheerful enough, but it seemed like a game. She didn't like sneaky games. "What do you want?" She demanded irritably. "I'm really, <em>really <em>not in a good mood today."

Yasuhara fluttered his eyelashes innocently. "A question, Koemi-san."

"You better be quick. I need to have a talk with Naru." She hung her head and rubbed her neck sorely.

"That's fine," he said. "We'll be inviting him as well."

"Whatever."

"Your birth name is Ayumu Koemi, is it not?"

"It is." She agreed.

"And you were born in Okinawa." He stated.

"I was."

"And you lived there until you turned twelve, when you moved to London. You moved back to Japan for a few years, and returned when you were fourteen."

"That was surprisingly detailed." Koemi informed him. "And thoroughly creepy."

He smiled. "Thank you. In that time, how was it you said you knew Naru?"

She crossed her arms. "What is this about?" She demanded stubbornly.

The low rumble of manly voices came from outside, and Takigawa and Yasuhara retrieved Naru and Lin.

"Which tea do you prefer, Darjeeling or Earl Grey?" Yasuhara sat back down.

Oliver stood by the door. "I am fine, what did you want to talk about…?"

"Which…one?" He repeated. He smiled with flourish and gestured with his hands. "Would you like it hot or would you like it cold? How strong would you like it to be? Would you like it with milk or lemon? Cambridge tea or Tai?" His voice was dripping with overfriendliness. "Would you like to add apples? Would you like cookies or butter cake? Both? So, it's complicated, right?"

Oliver stared at him with a sense of puzzlement. "I am fine with anything."

Mai and Takigawa applauded him as Yasuhara poured a glass of Earl Grey for him.

Naru knelt beside Koemi, setting the steaming cup aside. Yasuhara spoke first. "What are you going to do after you close the office?"

"Does it have anything to do with you, Yasuhara-san?" Oliver inquired.

"Yeah, it does." He looked surprised. "Jeez, aren't we friends?"

"If you are going to joke like always, you chose the wrong people." Koemi growled at him. "I'm not in the mood, and he sure as hell isn't."

"Did you call me in here to talk about such an insignificant matter?" Oliver stopped her.

Yasuhara looked him sincerely in the eye. "It isn't insignificant. We were just wondering what our beloved Shibuya-san and Lin-san will do from now one."

"You do not have to worry about it." He answered calmly.

"Of course I'll worry about those I care about." Yasuhara protested.

"Then you do not have to care about me."

"It's my free will to like whoever I want." Yasuhara said indignantly.

"It is also my free will to do whatever I want, right?" Oliver challenged.

"That." Mai piped. "You don't have to say it like that, right? Everybody's really worried."

"Why do you think everyone is here?" She continued, raising her voice. "Because you got sick and were hospitalized, and we were worried, right? You're stupid for not accepting other people's goodwill!"

"I never asked for it." He said stonily.

"Of course it's a one-sided goodwill! But you also need to be respectful and treat other people better when they're kind to you! You might want to say farewell as soon as we're done with this. At least be a little more sincere in the end!"

Koemi scowled. "Mai, just because he doesn't speak about it doesn't mean there's no good reasons to close the office. He has his reasons."

"Why are you on his side?" Mai demanded. "He treats you the same as he treats us!"

So, are you willing to explain?" Yasuhara asked.

"I don't think it is necessary." Oliver stated.

"You're so intolerant." Takigawa huffed. "Then, I want to ask some questions. Will you answer them?"

Yasuhara and John joined to stand in front of the door, predicting Oliver's answer. "It's a waste of time."

"Sometimes it's important to waste time." Yasuhara vouched.

"I can get through by force." Oliver glanced at Lin.

Yasuhara disagreed. "It'll be bad if your wounds reopen. But if I call the ambulance and say that Lin-san attacked us, even the police will come. But all the things that Shibuya-san's been trying to hide might be revealed as well…So how about it? Can you cooperate with us?"

"Five minutes." He leaned against the wall by the door and crossed his arms irritably.

"Don't be stingy. I want thirty minutes." Takigawa said.

"Fifteen minutes." Oliver said.

"Okay, fifteen minutes." Takigawa smirked.

Mai plopped down.

"Oh, wait. I don't know what's going on." Ayako cried out.

"But you're about to explain all the things you've been hiding, right? Then I won't go easy on you."

Takigawa began his speech. "The first thing I want to ask is about the name."

Koemi snorted. _Shibuya. What a dumb ass. What if my name was London? No. Just no._

"Name?" Mai repeated.

Takigawa nodded. "Don't you think it's weird that the name of the director of an office at Shibuya is named Shibuya?"

"It's not a coincidence?" Ayako offered.

"Well, there are three possibilities. One: a mere coincidence. Two: he made the office in Shibuya on purpose. Three: it's an alias."

"Alias?!" Mai and Ayako chorused.

"If it was me or the young boy, it would be quite possible. But for Naru, it wasn't. Then the most probable reason is a coincidence, but there is also another thing that bothers me."

"What?" Mai hunched over curiously.

"Do you remember what Naru said to you when we first met you?"

"I remember…but…."

"It was a weird sentence so I remembered it." Takigawa said. "Mai called him by his nickname Naru the Narcissist, but it didn't mean you called him without honorfics, right?"

"Ah—."

"And one more thing. Why does Lin call him that too? Isn't it weird?" He presented.

"Why?"

"Does Lin look the type who will call his boss 'Naru the Narcissist'? If Naru is a nickname that comes from narcissist, then Lin is definitely the only one who would not call him Naru, right? Well, we need to ask them, but I just laid out a theory. Maybe 'Shibuya Kazuya' is an alias, and 'Naru' is your real name?"

Oliver smirked. "Don't imagine it too much."

Takigawa giggled. "Fufufu. The fun hasn't even started yet. If your real name is Naru, then it wouldn't be weird even if Lin were to call you that. When I think about it and remember, I realized I've never seen any proof that Shibuya Kazuya is your real name."

"But…" Mai began.

"Before, Naru had been in the hospital during an investigation, right?"

"The Yuasa High case," Mai agreed.

"Did you remember that there wasn't a name board in Naru's room? The name board in the hospital is written under the name in the insurance card. But why did the board have no name? Furthermore, this last time his name was obviously written as 'Shibuya Kazuya'. During Yuasa, he always rejected if we wanted to drop by. This last time it didn't bother him if we visited everyday. You said that you had to pay the high cost for the hospital bill."

"If it's so…the doctor and nurse should've known his real name. So, we weren't allowed to visit in the case so he wouldn't get revealed."

"Okay," Koemi cut in. "You guys are beginning to confuse me, and I know where this is going. You need to be a lot clearer, or I'm going to leave."

"Alright, onto the next question then." Takigawa said.

"There's more?!" Mai asked.

"Either way I'm not answering," Naru murmured.

"I'm including you too, Koemi-chan." Takigawa said. "So if Naru isn't really 'Shibuya Kazuya'. It makes sense that he doesn't want to give out his address or phone number."

"That's true. I've asked many times, but he doesn't care." Mai nodded at the logic.

"You really love challenges, don't you?" Ayako teased.

"Well…" Mai blushed.

"Obviously Naru wants to hide where he lives. The question is: why does it have to be hidden?"

"Hmm… He worries about fangirls?" Mai asked.

"What kind of an answer is that?" Koemi muttered.

Takigawa shook his head. "Apparently he wants to hide his profile. So, when the place he lives is known, there will be a possibility that the real Naru is automatically revealed. That's why he stays hidden. Am I wrong?"

"Do you wish for the answer?" Naru asked.

"No, of course not." Koemi gave him a glare. "He asked because he was completely uninterested in your response."

"So, Koemi." Bou looked at her.

"Oh dear," she sighed.

"Why don't we know where to call you at? Or where you live?"

"Perhaps I don't want to talk to you all the time," she fluttered her eyelashes. "I do have a cellphone."

"I believe you're in the same situation as Naru, only you aren't hiding your name. It's vice-versa. So, if 'Shibuya' is an alias, he would be troubled if his home is exposed because his real name will be written on the door fence. So it makes sense why he's hiding it. So why does he hide his phone number too?"

"Because we might know the place by the area-code?" Mai tried.

"Because the address can be found in the telephone book?" Ayako added.

"What if Naru doesn't have his own phone? What if it's only a public phone?" Takigawa goaded them on.

"Wouldn't that be a boarding house?" Ayako deadpanned.

"I can't imagine Naru living in such a place…" Mai muttered.

"Wherever it is, someone hiding his profile couldn't risk someone else in the family or house accidentally picking up the phone and not knowing anything about the situation."

"Because they might slip up while talking?" Mai clarified.

"Well…kind of. Even if he found a way to quiet the people around him, he didn't do that. So he didn't tell his phone number because of that."

"My head hurts." Koemi complained. "You know the answer, Monk. Stop playing around!"

Takigawa smirked. "It's not a boarding house, house, apartment or mansion. That means it's a hotel. At a hotel, it would be extremely daring to give out a phone number, since the one who answers would be the receptionist. He has enough difficulties without getting the receptionist to cooperate. So, even though he could have gotten a mobile phone instead, it's not necessary. It would make more sense to hide the number all together."

"But does it have to be a hotel?" Mai asked. "If it's for commute to the office, shouldn't it have been from…"

"Right. Naru isn't from Tokyo." He turned to face the boy. "You said you are looking for your brother, right? He might come to Tokyo for it, so he stays in a hotel. He didn't expect it would take a while, so that's why he didn't find a fixed place to stay. Am I mistaken?"

"I don't feel I have to answer." Naru stared at him emotionlessly.

"Wait!" Ayako said. "Why did he stay in a hotel and settle in Tokyo? Doesn't it make more sense to stay in a house? Didn't he tour around Japan? It would be more reasonable and save more expenses to stay in a house!"

"Indeed, but what if the distance of his house to Hokkaido is much further than the distance of Tokyo to Hokkaido." Takigawa added.

"How could it be? It's not like he lives abroad…" Ayako protested.

"Abroad?" Mai questioned.

"That's it. There's a ton of evidence supporting the theory. For instance, he's not good with proverbs or Kanji. The notes from investigations or the data sorting are mostly written in Romaji. We have seen him _read _Japanese writing, but I never notice him write in Japanese letters."

"Oh…" Mai said. "When we first met, I asked what grade he was in. He replied 'This year is seventeen'. I thought his answer was kinda weird."

"So if this is linked to the question 'is Shibuya Kazuya a pseudonym', what has to be in place is already in the right place. He's not Japanese."

"But he is…" Mai stuttered.

"Looking and speaking Japanese doesn't make him one. Lin-san is the best example. If we think like that, it makes sense why he doesn't go to school. If he stays in a hotel, he can't process the school removal." The monk explained.

"So he's Chinese… Like Lin-san?"

"I thought so at first too," Takigawa grinned. "But I still don't understand the 'Naru' name. Again, it would be easier just to ask. Where were you born, Naru?"

Naru smiled in response.

"Remaining silent, are you?" Takigawa snickered. "Fine. I won't hesitate. Next!"

"There's more…?" Koemi complained idly.

"Right. One more thing confuses me. How did you manage to get load and loads of equipment? If you think about it, how much should it cost?"

"Well…" Mai began.

"It would cost hundreds of millions of yen." Takigawa stopped her. "Even the son of a wealthy family shouldn't be able to get a number like that at eighteen years old. If I ask this, would you answer?" He asked Naru.

Koemi cut him off. "It would be rare."

"Good answer." Takigawa sighed. "If that's so, is the office really his? Is there any building manager that would willingly accept the owner of an office that is not old enough? In addition, Mai."

"Me?" Mai looked up at him with confusion.

"Why does Mai, who is the assistant, not allowed to sort the telephone calls or mail? Isn't that common work? But the postal things given to Mai have been selected by Lin-san and Koemi before. Right, Mai?"

"Well, yeah."

"It gives the impression that you're hiding calls and mail from others. Why? Because postal things usually contain information that is meant for other people not to know; for instance, the receiver name and shipping address. That's why you hide them from Mai."

Ayako caught on. "That's right! If 'Shibuya Kazuya' is a pseudonym and a letter has his real name, he would be revealed right away!" She considered it. "But it's an office. Wouldn't normal mail not be directed towards 'Shibuya Psychic Research" in Naru's name?"

"What if the 'Shibuya Psychic Research' is also a pseudonym?"

"What?!" Mai asked. "But wouldn't that mean the delivered mail wouldn't arrive?"

"Well it's not really like that." The monk scratched his head. "There's 'Shibuya Psychic Research' and there's 'SPR' too. Which one is the official one?"

"I don't get it…" Mai admitted.

"Think about it. To rent an office there must be a registration report. Which name of this office was registered? The mail would eventually be delivered, regardless of the name. That's why if it were registered as 'Tanaka Psychic Research' there would be no way to put 'SPR' on the name board. But if it were registered as 'Shibuya Psychic Research', putting 'SPR' on the name board wouldn't be a problem. So which name is the official one?" He looked at Naru again.

Naru was silent. Koemi stood and stretched, joining her hands behind her back. She was rewarded with several satisfying pops.

"Still not answering… So I'll skip to the conclusion. Isn't 'SPR' the official name? There's nothing in the meaning of 'Shibuya Psychic Research', so it's not a problem to use 'SPR' as an acronym. It has nothing to do with coincidence. Because of the location in Shibuya, the office uses 'Shibuya' as a name. So, how is it?" He asked Naru.

The teen smiled slightly. "If that's true, there's no use to hide it from Mai. Even if the name regarded to 'SPR'."

"That's if the written one is 'SPR'. What if there's another written name? 'SPR' is exactly short for a term. Let's take an example. 'Shimauma Panda Rakko'. What if there's letters that don't list the short name but the official one? Wouldn't Mai find it weird if it regarded to 'Shimauma Panda Rakko'?"

"Yes…" Mai sweat-dropped.

"Well, let's connect all the dots!" Takigawa's smirk grew. "'SPR'—"which has very expensive equipment—mixed with Naru, who is likely not Japanese, will bring us to an answer."

"Finally," Koemi sighed, leaning against a wall.

"Society for Psychical Research is an influential research group that has existed in the UK. 'Shibuya Psychic Research' is a fictional name which was used to avoid the public's attention. Isn't the office actually the Japanese branch of 'Sprits Researchers Organization'? Supposing Naru is the offical researching of 'Spirits Researchers Organization, the equipment would be clear. But Naru himself does not own the 'Spirits Researchers Organization'. This assumption would lead to another answer. If Naru is the member of 'Spirits Researchers Organization, it would be understandable that he uses an alias to hide his true identity."

"But why?!" Mai demanded, still not understanding.

Koemi sighed, knowing this whole act was probably mainly for the girl's benefit.

Takigawa laughed, holding his fist to his mouth. "Fufufu. When you called him Naru, he used the term of 'first name'. Supposing the fact that he's not Japanese, it would explain one more thing."

"W-What is it?" Mai asked.

Takigawa didn't keep her in suspense for long. "The clue is 'SPR'. 'Naru'."

Mai stared at him blankly. "There' no way that's a clue!" She argued.

"As I expected," he sighed. "Okay. Tom could be a guy's name, or a nickname. What name is it from?"

"Why is this suddenly an English test…"

"Just answer," Bou said.

"Ummm...err…Thomas?" She finally decided.

"Correct. How about Mike?"

The brunette became more confident. "Michael."

"Tony?"

"Ugh…" she lost her streak of genius. "Anthony!"

"Okay, this is a little harder. Dick?" Takigawa quizzed.

"Ugh?!" Was her intelligent answer.

Ayako cut in with her eyes closed. "Richard."

"Good," the monk said. "So, how about Naru?"

"Eh?" Mai asked.

"Let's assume that Naru is British. People who use English call each other by their first name. So how about being called by a nickname with someone else to make a closer relationship?"

"That's called a nickname?" Mai asked John.

Takigawa continued. "So, here it is. This is it. Naru was suddenly called by his nickname, which used to be used by a close person. Now it's being used by all of you, so he said 'called by the first name'."

"If that's true… but 'Naru' is…" She began to ask.

"Explain it John." Takigawa sighed.

John's face wasn't as warm as it usually was. "If it's Noll (Naru), it would be… Oliver. That's the nickname for Oliver."

"Oliver?" Mai tilted her head.

"Oliver from 'SPR', who's a person who must hide his true identity." Takigawa urged.

She gasped, everything finally clicking into place. "Professor Davis?"

Koemi leaned her head back. "Time," she mouthed to Naru.

Silence was layered into the room until Mai spoke again. "…Is that true?"

"I don't feel like I have to answer. The fifteen minutes is over." He glanced at Koemi and closed his eyes, striding out.

"Damn…" Takigawa muttered. "He still wants to pretend to be stupid?!"

Lin stopped them. "Didn't Naru say there's no need to answer?"

Koemi scoffed. "That means that there's nothing left to be answered."

"Well, Koemi. Did you know this?" Yasuhara inquired.

"Of course I did." Koemi said, drawing her knees to her chest. "Don't tell me you didn't solve _my _case."

He laughed heartily. "Of course we did. It was your information that initially helped us solve this. Ayumu means Walker, and you lived in England. Miss Walker. You must have colonized your name to make it easier on yourself and others."

"Something about Ayumu is impossible for English blokes to announce," she agreed.

"Is he really Davis-hakase?" Mai inquired.

"Oliver Davis is a SPR parapsychologist, and he's one of the youngest, but brightest members of SPR. He rarely appears in society, so his profile is unknown. It's only known that he has very strong PK. We also know that he has a sibling named Eugene Davis, who has strong spiritual powers as well. However, Eugene disappeared in Shimaguni. Davis-hakase has been looking for his brother. If the media finds out, it will be a huge commotion, and I can see it becoming and annoyance. So he hides his identity. If that's true, it makes sense that Naru knew what the place looked like but didn't know the name. Naru used his powers, and he saw his brother come here as Davis but had no other information about it. So he had to go around looking for his brother."

Mai tilted her head. "Is that why he had Masako's hair ornament before? What that also psychometry?"

"Probably to see if Masako was safe or not. He was trying to see if he could feel a death aura coming off it. It was sad for Masako-chan though."

"I already knew that was it…" Masako admitted.

"But…Why did Masako know about Naru?"

"Because I had seen a video about America's 'espers'." She said, not looking at any of them.

"Video?" Takigawa lurched forward. "Perhaps that famous one?"

"Yes."

"Video?" Mai asked.

He steamed with appreciation. "There's a video that shows Davis-hakase's experiment using PK. It's a very secretive experiment…"

"The one where he slammed fifty kilograms of aluminum against the wall?"

"Yep! Yep!"

"Bou-san, your eyes are shining…" She pointed out.

"That video's very important, so if you aren't part of a big psychic research company, you can't have access to it."

"It was quite impressive, so I still remember it." Masako stated. "So when I met Naru for the first time, I knew I had seen him before."

Koemi stood with the grace of a turtle stuck on its shell. "I'm going to go talk to him."

"You said that before. What is it you guys talk about when you're alone?" Takigawa jerked his head to her.

Koemi shrugged. "I don't know. I really like messing with him. We built a relationship on insults and mockery. His brother was my only friend," she laughed.

"He wasn't?"

Koemi shrugged. "More than?"

Takigawa's mouth dropped. "Wait, you mean—."

"Yes, yes I do." She said. She bowed and retreated outside to the lake. Naru stood at the edge, the water lapping at his shoes thirstily. He turned at her entrance and headed towards the woods.

"I have loose ends to tie."

"O-Oh. Bye…" Koemi sat down on a rotting log. _I was going to tell you that I'm pregnant, but oh well. Whatever floats your boat._

She peered up as Stolas appeared. "I…just wanted to give this to you. I kind of took it." He handed her a book. Her Book of Shadows. "Bye." He popped away.

"That was random." She stated. "Well, okay." She flipped through the papery pages filled with Hitomi's handwriting before it fell open to resurrection.

She let out a surprised gasp. "This is…" It outlined in detail how to revive the dead. "Gene…" She looked up at the lake with dazed eyes. "I can change it." She read through the instructions quickly and brought the words to life, running across the forest to snatch her bag of candles.

"MADOKA!" She screamed. "MADOKA!"

"What?" Madoka's voice called back from the lake.

Koemi ran back to the lake from the bungalow and held her hands out. "Do you have any matches?"

"I do, actually." She held up a pink pack. "They were so cute! I couldn't leave them!"

Koemi snatched them and took off back to her original seat. Carefully, she lit four candles. _This might not work in the middle of the day, but I need to try._

"Osiris, keeper of the gate, master of all fate, hear us!" She hummed. She took her Athame and pricked her finger, drawing a bloody cross across her face. "Before time and after, before knowing and nothing."

She braced herself and made a slice across her arm. The dull blade stung like hell, and the blood dripped almost reluctantly into the lake. She waded into the lake, rinsing the blood from her. "Accept our offering, know our prayer, Osiris, here lies the friend of the people, let him cross over, Osiris, release him, Osiris release him!"

Although the spell said to wait longer, she almost immediately felt an icy pain spread across her abdomen. Without even a cry, she fell into the lake.

* * *

><p>Madoka sighed. "Honestly, where did that girl get to?" She looked up at Lin as he joined her. "Did you see Koemi?"<p>

"She ran into the bungalow to get some candles." He answered. "She seemed thrilled about something."

Madoka frowned. "She got matches from me. What do you think she's up to?"

"She uses candles for spells." He told the other adult.

"In the middle of the day? I thought she said they're best at night!"

Lin's eyebrows sank. "Where did you see her go?"

"That—."

"HEY!" A diver suddenly shouted. He hurried out of the lake, a limp mass protruding from his arms.

Lin took off. "Koemi!" He shouted. There was no mistaking it. Her hair was dark and heavy with water, and she was completely knocked out.

"Mori-san," Hansuke's voice came from the goggles. "It's Koemi-chan!" He lowered her to the ground.

Lin crouched down by her and put his lips to her ear, searching for her pulse on her neck. _Ba….dum…_It drummed sluggishly. It was undoubtedly slowing. He couldn't hear the hiss of breath.

"Call an ambulance," he ordered quickly. Almost immediately, Madoka pushed him away and began pumping her chest. "Madoka, she's not breathing." He examined her sliced arm. "Did she try to kill herself?!" He ripped her shirt and tied it against the wound.

"I have no choice, then." Madoka bent over her and puffed air. After the 6th puff, Koemi gave a shuddering cough.

"HEY!" A different diver shouted. "WE FOUND HIM!"

Madoka's head jerked in the direction and she looked back at Koemi. "You stupid girl," she chastised. "What have you done?"

Lin ran away from them and towards the yellow sheet they carried out from the dirty water.

Koemi trembled violently. "I've done a terrible, terrible thing." She whispered hoarsely.

"What do you mean?"

"CALL AN AMBULANCE!" The diver's scream sounded mortified. "CALL AN AMBULANCE _NOW_!"

Koemi's breath hitched. "It worked," she wrapped her arms around her waist, oblivious to the tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Koemi, what did you _do_?"

"His name was Mao." She said quietly. "Mother showed him to me. The future. She showed me it all…and it was too late to change my mind. I lived a lifetime." Her voice cracked. "I thought it was real. We named him Mao because he was the center of our universe, and it was close to Mai."

"You don't mean the baby, do you?"

Koemi looked at her with her mouth opened slightly, tears sliding through her lips. "We named him Mao. He was a boy. The most handsome baby," she let out a sob. "I didn't think!" She wailed. "I thought that maybe it would just kill me. I didn't mean to!"

Madoka pulled her into a hug, stroking her hair comfortingly. "Oh, dear Koemi." She felt tears prick her eyes. "Oh, dear, dear Koemi."

"MAO!" she screamed, fisting Madoka's pink jacket tightly. "I'M SO SORRY!"

"I'm fine," a voice said with mild confusion. "I really am."

Koemi's syncopated breathing quickened into hyperventilation.

"That's impossible." Madoka stated.

Koemi's full body quivered as she dared peek above Madoka's shoulder.

"What happened?" He was sopping wet, standing there with wide eyes. His skin was bruised and broken, but he seemed fine. There were no signs of rot or swelling.

Madoka stood, still hugging Koemi. "You really…did it…"

Koemi fell back to her knees as Madoka rushed towards him. Madoka tackle hugged him without regards to injury or water damage.

Naru and Mai appeared behind her, and Lin sprinted past.

"W-What?" Mai gasped.

Oliver looked at Koemi and noticed blood dripping from her arm. "What did you _do_?"

The Goddess appeared beside her daughter. "Happy Litha, my love. I made sure to personally heal his hurt."

The yellow-sheet clad boy turned his head and stared at the trio with eyes filled with questions, but he most quickly locked onto Koemi's shaking form as she hunched over to hug herself.

Oliver stared at his brother. "Gene…"

Eugene's eyes darted back up to his face. "What did she _do_?"

* * *

><p><strong>Quick noteees! This is not the end yet. I still have another chapter in me, and I'm sort of considering writing another one...but I don't want to overplay the characters. Especially since I don't have a plot yet. ANYYY WHO. Read and reviewww :D it makes me very happy to see reviews. Like, pizza flavored ice cream happy.<br>**


	22. Some Hellos and Some Goodbyes

Eugene glared at his brother, shedding his sheet and storming forward. "This is your fault!"

Oliver returned the furious look as he crouched by Koemi. "If you hadn't gotten yourself _killed_ this wouldn't be a problem!"

"You're her boyfriend! You're supposed to take care of her!" Eugene leaned over. "God…what did you _do_?" He repeated, gently grabbing her wrist and examining the cut. "Koemi?"

Koemi leaned against Oliver, hiding her face in his jacket. "I'm so sorry." She whispered.

"You didn't do anything wrong," he promised her.

Her mother took her by the hand and lifted her to her feet. "My daughter, I did my best to heal your body when we took him. I copied the growth of his brother, in addition." She stared her daughter in the eye. "However, it's likely that you will never be able to have children again." She cast her eyes away shamefully.

"Again?" Eugene's anger was wiped out by confusion. "You had a kid?"

Madoka hung her head. "She was nearly two months pregnant." She said quietly.

Mai's eyes widened. "You mean she and Naru…?"

Eugene frowned. "Was?"

Koemi stared at her feet with watery eyes. "I didn't know…" She whispered. "That the baby would be lost." She covered her eyes and shook her head.

"I apologize that you had to see the Truth." The Goddess said. "But it's common procedure. It would have happened even if it was your life." A note of fury entered her voice. "Koemi, you should know how serious a spell is. You shouldn't take it so lightly."

"His name was Mao." Koemi repeated numbly. "We named him after Mai, but Mao. True center." She whispered. "He was a geneticist." She looked at Oliver to see him staring back with blatantly wide eyes.

Mai interrupted, stepping towards Gene with her face angled down. "I never thanked you for helping me with all the cases!" She flustered. "Thank you!" She bowed and peeked up at him through her bangs.

He looked at her with bewilderment before smiling. Mai flushed further. That smile…

Takigawa appeared. "You found the bo…" He stopped and looked between Oliver and Eugene. "Wait. What?"

"This is Naru's older brother." Mai introduced.

Takigawa looked down at Koemi. "What's up with her?"

Lin held the same stupefied as Oliver, so Madoka took over. "We'll be going back to the office. Noll, Gene, I'm going to call your parents."

Koemi staggered up to Eugene and threw her arms around him. "You're an idiot," she told him. "You are an idiot, Gene!"

He blinked the tears out of his eyes and hugged her back. "I'm sorry, Koemi."

She punched him in the arm. "You're too trusting." She accused him.

"I'm sorry, Koemi." He repeated obediently.

"God damn." She spun on her heel and retreated to the bungalow. "The things I do for the people I love."

* * *

><p>Luella sobbed upon seeing her son alive. Martin had to hold her up.<p>

Eugene smiled sadly and hugged her. "Hey, Mom."

She wailed senselessly and flopped over him.

Oliver crossed his arms in irritation, closing his eyes as he addressed Koemi. "When were you going to tell me?"

Koemi shrank. "I only found out yesterday." She defended herself. "I didn't know how to!"

"It doesn't matter anymore." He glared at her. "Koemi, you're so god damn stupid."

Koemi's chin quivered and she quickly averted her eyes.

He sighed. "I'm sorry," he leaned and hugged her quickly.

"No you're not." She shoved at him. "Get away from me!"

Eugene peered over his mother's head at them.

He didn't move against her protests. She gave in and dissolved into hiccupping tears.

"I don't understand," Luella managed eventually. "Oliver said you died!"

"I was dead." He murmured. "Koemi…"

Luella looked at the girl. "What did she do?"

"I'm getting so sick of people asking me what I did!" Koemi wailed.

Eugene quickly relayed the story to her in a hushed voice, and her tears were gone. "You mean…Koemi is pregnant?" She gasped.

"Was," Eugene corrected quickly.

Koemi punched Oliver as she wiped her eyes.

Eugene sighed and approached the pair. "Koemi, are you okay?" He peered at her face.

She didn't look at him.

He scowled. "I'll give you a piggyback ride."

She looked at him through watery eyes before punching him in the arm.

His eyes widened with surprise.

"You damn well owe me at _least _ten."

* * *

><p>Koemi sat on Oliver's desk as he packed up things he thought he would need in the short term. "I know a song that gets on everybody—." Eugene clapped his hand over her mouth.<p>

"Don't even start with that." He warned her amiably. "Noll is obviously in a great mood."

Koemi nodded obediently. Trusting her, he removed his hand. "'s nerves—."

Oliver gave a frustrated sigh and straightened from his desk drawers. "Koemi, I swear to God I'll leave you in England."

"You can't leave me anywhere!" She sang. "I could very easily stay here with Madoka and guard your personal belongings." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"For somebody who was depressed yesterday, you sure did cheer up quickly." Eugene pointed out.

Her jovial expression flickered for a second, and he saw genuine grief in her eyes for a brief moment. "For somebody who offered me a piggyback ride yesterday, you sure didn't give me a piggyback ride." She countered quickly, her enthusiastic smile back as if nothing had happened.

Eugene smiled and leaned against the edge of the desk long enough for her to wrap her arms around his neck. "Onward!" Koemi pointed as she locked her legs over his stomach.

He laughed and trudged around the room and out into the waiting room. Mai blinked at them as she passed out tea to the others. "What are you doing?" She inquired curiously.

"He owes me a piggyback ride~" Koemi chirped gleefully.

Eugene smiled at them. "I'm afraid my stupid brother didn't introduce us." He shifted Koemi's weight and bowed to Takigawa. "I'm Eugene Davis."

"Takigawa Houshou," the monk jumped to his feet and returned the gesture.

Yasuhara introduced himself and bowed. Eugene returned it.

"We're just about ready to leave," Koemi told the others. "Oliver is taking his time going through everything." She rolled her eyes.

"It's still weird that you and Naru are together." Ayako said. "I can't really wrap my mind around it."

Mai nodded slightly and looked at her feet at Eugene's overfriendly gaze.

Koemi instantly caught the look between the two and ruffled his hair. Eugene heard her suck in air in a way that foreshadowed mockery and dumped her onto the chair. The air was used for a short squeal upon impact. "Gene!" She yelped.

He scratched his head. "Oh, was that me? I'm so sorry!"

She scowled at him and curled up. "Tell your brother to hurry up."

"I think we both know neither of us have any sway over him." Eugene informed her.

"Sometimes I do. It's really exciting when he actually does something I ask." She looked dreamily at the door. "One time, he actually let me fix his hair before going out with bed-head."

Takigawa looked at her critically. "Are you suggesting you're any easier to handle?"

Koemi weighed her answer. "No. Probably not."

Takigawa nodded. "Spot on. You're probably worse than he is. He only got hospitalized a few times. You got hospitalized just about every time."

Koemi scratched her head. "I talked to my mum about that a while ago. She said it's got to do with my blood." She looked down at herself. "I have godly powers for a human. I mean, I'm still somewhat limited, but not nearly as much as a human is. At the same time, my human side is trying really, really hard to get me killed or something." She wiggled her nose in thought. "I don't remember how she phrased it. My Luck is balancing with my Power, so I have terrible Luck and great Power."

Takigawa raised his eyebrows. "Well, I've never heard of that before."

She shrugged again. "Basically, if it weren't for my power, I probably wouldn't be in so many near death experiences." She hit her palm with her fist. "Oh! Eugene, remember that doppelganger I kept coming across back in England? I think that's my Luck."

"You think your Luck is your clone." Eugene asked. "That's an interesting idea…"

She bobbed her head. "Yep!"

Eugene considered it. "Well, based off of my observations, you definitely have a lot of power, but t's not chi power like Noll's. It's something you more or less have to summon. You don't have it stored up."

"That observation would be correct." Koemi said. "I have to pray for it for a while first. Thus, spells."

Oliver stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him loudly enough to distract the conversation. "Let's go."

"You have to say bye first." Koemi informed him.

He slid his jacket on and pulled from his pocket a rectangular handkerchief. He handed it to Mai. "I almost forgot."

Puzzled, she unwrapped it. Koemi recognized it as the picture from Luella's fancy table in the living room. Both Gene and Noll smiled at the camera identically, neither wearing black. Mai flushed and smiled. "Thank you, Naru!"

He shrugged and left.

Eugene sighed. "He's so rude," he complained.

"I'm starting to wonder if he's in a worse mood now than he was before," Koemi admitted. "He's pretty grouchy." Her chin dropped. "Oh. Oh God. He acts like an old man. If this is him now…He's going to be a murderer, Gene!" She grabbed his black t-shirt, lent by his brother, and shook him. "He's going to kill everyone!"

Eugene laughed. "Okay, Koemi. I think it's safe to say we should be going now."

"Are you going too, Koemi-chan?" Mai asked.

"Just Koemi," Koemi told her. "And no."

Eugene looked at her with confusion.

"I'd like to stay in Japan." She scratched her head. "Naru was right. I should stay with my brother."

Eugene cocked his eyebrow. "What do you mean? I thought you were going."

"Oh…we talked about it down by the lake." She replied sheepishly. "I'd like to stay with Mai and Madoka for a while. Sort some things out."

Naru looked back at her from the front door, mirroring his brother's confusion.

Koemi smiled at them awkwardly. "I'm sorry. I just need a little time to think. If your feelings change, that's fine." She bowed. "Have a safe trip!"

Oliver put his hand on the handle and waited. "Is this about the baby?"

Eugene gauged her reaction. Again, a shadow crossed over before she smiled. "No. I just think it'd be better for me this way, and hopefully for you too."

"Are you sure?" Oliver asked.

"I'm positive." She padded up to Eugene and hugged him. He patted her back and let her move to Oliver.

He accepted an awkward half hug, kissing her forehead. "Is it something I did?"

"Don't be an idiot," she punched him lightly. "It's me."

He wavered but left steadily.

"Koko," Eugene approached her carefully, using his nickname towards her. It sent a pang through her. "Don't worry anymore, okay?"

She glanced up at him before looking at the place Oliver had been standing. "It's hard not to worry." She informed him. "When you realize how little control you have over anything."

He saddened. "I'm sorry."

"Get lost, loser." She slapped him on the back. "You didn't do anything."

He hugged her again and bowed to the others. "We'll be back soon." He said. "We just have to set things straight again."

"Bye!"

Mai waved cheerfully at Lin and Eugene as they left. "Bye!" There was a click to her right, and she realized Koemi was now locked in Oliver's office.

"So, you like Eugene!" Takigawa teased.

"That's not true!" Mai screeched.

"Looks true," Yasuhara commented. "You're awfully red."

Mai threw her hands in the air. "You guys!"

"Eugene and Mai, sitting in a tree," Takigawa mockingly sang.

"Bou-san, you're too old for that." Ayako warned him.

"Hey! How old do you think I am?"

"Wel—."

"I don't want to know."

Mai laughed, and all the pain went away._ The feeling of love remains until we forget about the other. _Ayako punched Takigawa in the arm. _Because we can fall in love alone too. _

From behind the door, there was a thud and a quiet sob.

_I won't cry anymore._

* * *

><p><strong>So, that's that. What did you guys think? Should I write another one, or should I just leave it up to your imagination? Review are always appreciated!<br>**


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